Amid rebel voices, Azmin confident PAS members will toe party line

Bersatu supreme council Azmin Ali said he is confident that PAS members will abide by their party president Abdul Hadi Awang's directive to back Perikatan Nasional candidates in the Malacca polls.

He said this in response to a video of a PAS grassroots leader calling on party members to back BN instead.

"I cannot verify the matter but what is more important is that the PAS president has personally, during the PN meeting and in public statements after the PAS muktamar recently, stated that PAS is committed to contesting under the PN banner and urged all Malacca PAS members to stand with PN in the Malacca polls.

"I am very confident in the maturity of PAS members, who are committed in their struggle and will abide by the collective decision made in PAS and PN," he said.

Azmin, who is the international trade and industry minister, said this while assisting Bersatu's Tanjung Bidara candidate Mas Ermieyati Samsudin in her campaign.

Mas Ermieyati has been named as PN's chief ministerial candidate. In Tanjung Bidara, she faces BN's Ab Rauf Yusoh, who is also the state Umno chief, and Pakatan Harapan's Zainal Hassan.

Bersatu and Gerakan are PAS' coalition partners and are contesting under the PN banner in the Malacca state election.

Conflicting directives

In the video, Pekan Masjid Tanah deputy branch chief Mokhtar Razak Badri had complained about conflicting directives from the PAS leadership.

Pekan Masjid Tanah is located within the state seat of Lendu where BN's incumbent chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali is contesting against PN's Abdullah Mahadi, who is with Bersatu, and Harapan's Mohamad Asri Ibrahim who is from PKR.

Mokhtar claimed a PAS leader had instructed PAS members in Lendu to mobilise to neighbouring constituencies in Kuala Linggi and Taboh Naning, where PAS candidates are contesting instead of campaigning for the local candidate from PN partners.

Mokhtar insisted that Lendu PAS members should remain in Lendu and hinted that they should back Sulaiman, citing his pious character.

'Today in PAS, there are two group. There are those who will vote based on their position. Why did it become like this?

"Because, as I have said, we see the confusion coming from the topmost leadership," he said.

Mokhtar said there were central PAS leaders who were leaning towards BN while others were leaning towards PN, causing confusion for the grassroots.

He also apologised for Mas Ermieyati, who he said has also served well but a choice had to be made.

Better governance

Mas Ermieyati is also the Masjid Tanah MP. The five state seats under Masjid Tanah are Kuala Linggi, Tanjung Bidara, Ayer Limau, Lendu and Taboh Naning.

Meanwhile, in Tangga Batu, banners went up claiming that PAS rejects a woman as the chief ministerial candidate.

Responding to this, Mas Ermieyati said anyone can air their views but stressed that her nomination as PN's chief ministerial candidate was a sign of appreciation of women.

She said if she becomes chief minister, she will focus on the economy, job opportunities for youths and women and also promote good governance.

"During the pandemic, we must give particular attention to the economy.

"There is also a need to emphasise better governance and if I am given the opportunity, there is a lot more than I can do in Malacca," Mas Ermieyati added. - Mkini