PAS will no longer surrender winnable seats, says Sanusi

 PAS election director Sanusi Nor says PAS members should not do the groundwork for another party, only for that party to eventually field the candidate.

PAS election director Sanusi Nor said the party will identify the constituencies in which it has the potential to win.

KOTA BHARU:

PAS no longer wants to give up winnable seats to other parties in upcoming elections.

PAS election director Sanusi Nor said that the party would identify the constituencies in which it has the potential to win.

“We will determine which seats are suitable and can be won by PAS. We should no longer give up those seats to anyone,” he said in his winding-up speech at the 72nd PAS muktamar at the Pusat Tarbiah Islamiah Kelantan here today.

Sanusi said PAS should not be in a situation where its members do the groundwork for another party, only for that party to eventually field the candidate.

He said PAS had for too long faced a situation where its strength and support were not fully translated into political control.

“Our people go over and help them, and we’re happy. Then their party grows while ours remains small. They get to field the candidate, while we become their election machinery. That’s madness. Let’s speak frankly,” he said.

He said PAS needed to stop feeling inferior when negotiating with other parties, and reminded members that the party had a long political history and considerable strength.

“PAS has become an ‘elephant’ of a party. Then suddenly a cat comes along with two or three kittens, and PAS gets scared,” he said, without naming any party.

“Don’t follow that cat. They’re only just starting out. They formed their party two days ago, then came and invited us to join them. And we follow them. That’s not right,” he said.

Yesterday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said in his policy speech the party wanted to defend all the state and parliamentary seats it won in previous elections.

He also said the Perikatan Nasional-led states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis – collectively known as SG4 – should be retained.

Hadi urged the party to set its sights on Pahang, Perak and Selangor and “strengthen PAS and PN’s parliamentary representation” in those states as well as improve its performance in Melaka, which is expected to hold its state election soon.

PAS needs to grow in Johor

Sanusi criticised PAS in Johor for failing to increase its membership despite wanting to contest elections.

“I thought our membership in Johor had grown. But you’re still doing the same amount of work. The election machinery hasn’t grown either. You can’t remain at the same level and expect to get seats,” he said.

He urged PAS to step up efforts to attract new members and establish more branches in the state. - FMT