In PAS, membership drops by almost 80,000 members

PAS MUKTAMAR | PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan announced at the 64th PAS muktamar in Kuala Terengganu today that the party's membership now stands at 818,029 members.

This is an 8.89 percent drop from the 897,800 members announced by Takiyuddin at last year's muktamar.

"Based on the PAS central body's records, after a verification process (pemutihan), there are a total of 818,029 members," he said during his winding-up speech.

Takiyuddin also noted that the party has 7,140 branches nationwide, with 176 Muslimat, 185 Youth and 196 central body divisions. 

The party secretary-general said his office had instructed for the number of Youth and Women's wings to be increased to match the total number of main divisions.

In his speech, Takiyuddin also complained about the poor reception for a planned PAS supporters' wing (DHPP) convention.

He said the planned muktamar had only attracted interest from around 100 people nationwide.

"On the DHPP, it is very disorganised. This year was the first time we wanted to have a DHPP convention, which will become the agenda in future muktamars.

"But we were only able to gather 100 for the DHPP in Sabah and Sarawak," he said.

Takiyuddin urged the wing to redouble their efforts in terms of recruitment and also appoint a deputy division leader in areas where DHPP is present.

Falling Harakah readership

Prior to Takiyuddin's winding-up speech, PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah also addressed the delegates.

Amar acknowledged that the party's organ Harakah, like other printed newspapers, was facing falling readership.

He said the party newspaper was in the process of being restructured with extra focus on the online version, but urged party members to keep supporting the newspaper. 

"What is important is support from PAS members. If we PAS members don't read (Harakah), then surely it will be difficult for Harakah to expand.

"Harakah should be the main reference before we read other media," he said. - Mkini