Hadi Awang retains PAS presidency

Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (pic) has won a sixth term at the helm of the country’s largest Islamist party after he was nominated for the post by all PAS divisions throughout the country.

As nominations closed today for the party’s elections and 59th muktamar (annual general meeting), Abdul Hadi was returned unopposed in the post he has helmed since 2002 after the death of Datuk Fadzil Mohd Noor.   

PAS election committee (2013-2015) chairman Asmuni Awi announced that Datuk Harun Taib was also retained as Dewan Ulama head.

However, the party’s number two post will see a contest between incumbent Mohamad Sabu and Deputy Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.

The contest for the party’s three vice-president seats will see incumbents Datuk Mahfuz Omar, Salahuddin Ayub and Datuk Husam Musa challenged by Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who is party information chief, and Datuk Abu Bakar Chik (party central committee member).

The top post for the party’s youth wing will be contested by Federal Territories PAS Youth chief Kamaruzzaman Mohamad, former Johor PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat and Zulhazmi Zakaria.

In the race for the post of PAS' women's wing (Muslimat PAS) chief, incumbent Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof will be facing her predecessor Nuridah Salleh, Asmuni announced at a press conference in PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Deputy election committee chief Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan dismissed talk of a fued between “ulama” and “professionals” in PAS over the party’s number two post.

“Party members understand and know that the term ‘professional’ refers to someone’s career while ‘ulama’ refers to their religious education background.

"Professionals and ulama can contest all posts expect those in the Dewan Ulama as those are reserved for individuals who have high religious qualifications,” he said.