B-U-T is BN’s secret to victory, says PAS

Terengganu PAS delegate Kamaruzzaman Abdullah also says PAS needs 1 to 2% vote swing to win the east coast state.

ALOR SETAR: A Terengganu PAS delegate has claimed that Barisan Nasional’s “secret” to victory in elections has been to Beli (buy), Ugut (threaten) and Tipu (cheat).

At PAS’ 63rd muktamar, Kamaruzzaman Abdullah alleged BN would “buy” the people, threaten them and cheat in elections.

“This is how Umno and Barisan Nasional can rule until now,” Kamaruzzaman said while debating the PAS president’s opening address.

Kamaruzzaman also hit out at those who accused PAS of working with Umno.

He said in Terengganu, PAS has been consistent in opposing Umno.

In the next general election (GE14), he said PAS would contest all 32 state and eight parliamentary seats.

He said in Terengganu, PAS held nearly the maximum number of seats an opposition could have.

“In GE14, we only need a 1-2% vote swing and, God willing, we can take over Terengganu.”

At present, in Terengganu, BN has 17 seats, PAS has 14 seats while PKR has one seat.

Kamaruzzaman also claimed that Umno “uses” the Election Commission to its advantage through the delineation of electoral boundaries, and that if the electoral boundaries aren’t redrawn, PAS could win.

The Kuala Terengganu parliamentary constituency, is one of the eight “super” constituencies, critics of the redelineation exercise claim the EC has created.

In facing GE 14, Kamaruzzaman also urged PAS to be quick to respond to “lies” and “allegations” made against PAS, including claims that PAS leaders don’t go down to the grassroots.

“We also have to highlight the close cooperation between ulama and professionals so that no one can say that PAS is only for ustaz (religious leaders), more so when most who left us were from the professional camp,” he said, alluding to former PAS leaders who left the party to form Amanah.

Kamaruzzaman said that PAS also needed to focus on winning over voters aged 21 to 50, who represented 70% of voters, young female voters whom he said were Umno’s lifeline, and Felda voters.

This year’s muktamar is the second party assembly since the 2015 party elections which saw the defeat of several veteran leaders.

These leaders later set up Amanah, which is now part of Pakatan Harapan, together with PKR, DAP and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia. -FMT