It’s decided – PAS for Labuan

Labuan will remain with Barisan Nasional now that it's 'clear' that PAS will contest in the parliamentary constituency.

LABUAN: PAS will contest in the duty free Labuan parliamentary constituency and the decision is ‘final’.

Speaking to reporters here, Federal Territories PAS commissioner Mohamad Noor Mohamad said – in no uncertain terms – that the presidential council of Pakatan Rakyat “had decided on this”.

He said the party will field a candidate for the Labuan parliamentary constituency in the 13th general election and that the name of the individual will be submitted to the party president soon for approval.

“The Presidential Council of PR (Pakatan Rakyat) has decided that for state seats, the state PR (Pakatan) councils will decide.

“The three leaders of the council from PAS, PKR and DAP had agreed for the Labuan seat to be contested by PAS,” he said succintly ending Labuan DAP’s claims that seat negotiation here is “yet to be finalised”.

Labuan DAP chief Lau Seng Kiat yesterday said that he had been “advised” by Pakatan leaders that allocation of seats for Sabah and Labuan have “yet to be finalised.”

“We are still in the process of negotiation to determine the contesting parties in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan,” Lau said.

But Mohamad reiterated his Monday stand that the decision by the presidential council was made on Aug 18 and that a letter to effect was issued regarding the seat distribution.

“So it is clear that PAS will stand here in Labuan,” Mohamad said, adding that “Labuan will be in the race for Putrajaya”.

Mohamad also addressed the fact that although PAS has a poor track record over the past few polls, they were optimistic of performing better this time round.

“What’s important now is that in the coming elections BN is challenged one-on-one without split of opposition votes.

“That way the opposition has a good chance to unseat BN,” he said alluding to the last election when Labuan saw a three-cornered fight between BN, PAS and DAP.

Poor past record

PAS candidate lost his deposit in the 2008 polls. PAS had also lost in the two previous elections.

In the 2008 polls, BN won the seat by 10,471-vote majority while in the earlier two polls, the ruling coalition won the seat by no less than 10,000 votes.

The voter turnout in the last polls was 14,149 or 68.1%.

Labuan which is a duty free port has a mixed population. Based on the electoral rolls Labuan has 9,492 Malays voters. Others include 5,438 Chinese, 380 Indians and some 7,433 – Sabah/Sarawakians.

Locals reasoned that PAS’s systematic losses in three polls had little to do with a divided opposition.

They claimed it was PAS’ hardcore Islamist stand which worried the island’s sizeable non-Muslim communities.

Dismissing these fears and party detractors, Mohamad said that a survey had shown that the party had 55% support of the local Malay community, which included its 1,500 supporters in Labuan.

“Many of the Chinese voters are backing (any candidate) PR (Pakatan), so the issue does not arise.

“(As for lifestyle fears), Labuan PAS will respect the economic, cultural and religious rights of the other races.

“Our focus and manifesto is on improving health infrastructure and the socio-economic status of the locals in and to ensure that they enjoy the benefits of a thriving oil and gas industry, ” he said.