PKR unfazed by PAS division's actions
Rahmah GhazaliPublished: May 1, 2009 5:50 AM | Updated: May 1, 2009 11:52 AM
The Penang PKR is not overly worried with the intention by the Permatang Pauh PAS division to contest for the Penanti state seat by-election.
The Penang PKR is not overly worried with the intention by the Permatang Pauh PAS division to contest for the Penanti state seat by-election.
The PAS division's insistence in naming its candidate despite PKR having already announced the Pakatan Rakyat choice for the May 31 polling is just the wish of a small number of people in the division.
"It does not reflect the voice of the majority," said Penang's PKR youth leader PKR Penang Youth leader Yusmadi Yusoff.
He also claimed that the state's PAS youth chief Mohd Hafiz Mohd Nordin - who supported the move by Permatang Pauh PAS division - had the habit of opposing PKR's choices as election candidates.
"This is his usual view every time a by-election comes up. He would suggest a PAS candidate to contest although a decision (to place a candidate from other coalition party) has been made," said Yusmadi (photo) when contacted.
He added that Mohd Hafiz had done the same thing during the Permatang Pauh by-election last August where PKR's de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was put as the candidate.
"I believe his view is not shared by PAS members and it does not reflect the unity in Pakatan coalition. However this matter could be corrected because the party itself (PAS) will be going through a party election soon," said Yusmadi, also the Balik Pulau MP.
Even after PKR had named Mansor Othman as the candidate for the by-election for the state seat, Permatang Pauh PAS division was adamant in wanting to put its own candidate for the seat, stating that it had the support of the grassroots to regain the seat from PKR.
The seat fell vacant following the resignation of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin on April 16. Mansor, if he wins, will become the deputy chief minister 1 and a state exco member.
What grassroots request?
As a sign of protest over Mansor's selection, the PAS division has frozen its election machinery in Penanti.
The PAS top leadership has not openly said anything about the division's request but it is unlikely that it would give the division the green light to place its candidate for the by-election.
Yusmadi also dismissed claims made by the PAS division that the grassroots wanted a PAS candidate in Penanti.
"I am confident that it did not come from the grassroots. From our observation in Penang, many have given the mandate to Anwar and to the candidate he has chosen," he said.
Yusmaidi also said that Mohd Hafiz's stand of the matter could have placed him in a conflict with many PAS members in the constituency.
"Based on the feedbacks I have been receiving (from other PAS leaders), they all agreed that Mohd Hafiz's leadership should be replaced with someone who has better understanding of the Pakatan unity," he said.
PKR veep: Hadi happy with Mansor
Meanwhile PKR vice-president Azmin Ali said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was ‘happy' over Mansor being selected as the Penanti candidate.
"He also believed that Mansor has what it takes in strengthening Pakatan government under (Chief Minister Lim) Guan Eng's administration," Azmin who is also Gombak MP said when contacted.
"We in PKR respect the unity spirit in Pakatan and we take the grassroots point of views very seriously. But I'm confident that Hadi will inform this (that he is happy with the decision) to (the Penang PAS Youth wing) and the matter could be resolved amicably," said Azmin (photo).
However former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi deemed that the opposition from the PAS division indicated that PKR was not the most popular party in Penanti.
"What is voiced by the Permatang Pauh PAS is the voice of the grassroots, and I believe that there are local residents who are inclined to choose a candidate representing a particular party," he was reported as saying by Bernama today.
Abdullah said the move by PAS to field its candidate also demonstrated that there was no consensus among the ruling coalition in Penang.
The Penanti state constituency has 15,384 registered voters comprising 72.68 percent Malays, 24.22 percent Chinese, 2.39 percent Indians and 0.71 percent others.
The by-election will be held on May 31 and nomination is on May 23. Umno will decide on Monday of it wants to contest in the by-election.
The PAS division's insistence in naming its candidate despite PKR having already announced the Pakatan Rakyat choice for the May 31 polling is just the wish of a small number of people in the division.
"It does not reflect the voice of the majority," said Penang's PKR youth leader PKR Penang Youth leader Yusmadi Yusoff.
He also claimed that the state's PAS youth chief Mohd Hafiz Mohd Nordin - who supported the move by Permatang Pauh PAS division - had the habit of opposing PKR's choices as election candidates.
"This is his usual view every time a by-election comes up. He would suggest a PAS candidate to contest although a decision (to place a candidate from other coalition party) has been made," said Yusmadi (photo) when contacted.He added that Mohd Hafiz had done the same thing during the Permatang Pauh by-election last August where PKR's de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was put as the candidate.
"I believe his view is not shared by PAS members and it does not reflect the unity in Pakatan coalition. However this matter could be corrected because the party itself (PAS) will be going through a party election soon," said Yusmadi, also the Balik Pulau MP.
Even after PKR had named Mansor Othman as the candidate for the by-election for the state seat, Permatang Pauh PAS division was adamant in wanting to put its own candidate for the seat, stating that it had the support of the grassroots to regain the seat from PKR.
The seat fell vacant following the resignation of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin on April 16. Mansor, if he wins, will become the deputy chief minister 1 and a state exco member.
What grassroots request?
As a sign of protest over Mansor's selection, the PAS division has frozen its election machinery in Penanti.The PAS top leadership has not openly said anything about the division's request but it is unlikely that it would give the division the green light to place its candidate for the by-election.
Yusmadi also dismissed claims made by the PAS division that the grassroots wanted a PAS candidate in Penanti.
"I am confident that it did not come from the grassroots. From our observation in Penang, many have given the mandate to Anwar and to the candidate he has chosen," he said.
Yusmaidi also said that Mohd Hafiz's stand of the matter could have placed him in a conflict with many PAS members in the constituency.
"Based on the feedbacks I have been receiving (from other PAS leaders), they all agreed that Mohd Hafiz's leadership should be replaced with someone who has better understanding of the Pakatan unity," he said.
PKR veep: Hadi happy with Mansor
Meanwhile PKR vice-president Azmin Ali said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was ‘happy' over Mansor being selected as the Penanti candidate.
"He also believed that Mansor has what it takes in strengthening Pakatan government under (Chief Minister Lim) Guan Eng's administration," Azmin who is also Gombak MP said when contacted.
"We in PKR respect the unity spirit in Pakatan and we take the grassroots point of views very seriously. But I'm confident that Hadi will inform this (that he is happy with the decision) to (the Penang PAS Youth wing) and the matter could be resolved amicably," said Azmin (photo).However former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi deemed that the opposition from the PAS division indicated that PKR was not the most popular party in Penanti.
"What is voiced by the Permatang Pauh PAS is the voice of the grassroots, and I believe that there are local residents who are inclined to choose a candidate representing a particular party," he was reported as saying by Bernama today.
Abdullah said the move by PAS to field its candidate also demonstrated that there was no consensus among the ruling coalition in Penang.The Penanti state constituency has 15,384 registered voters comprising 72.68 percent Malays, 24.22 percent Chinese, 2.39 percent Indians and 0.71 percent others.
The by-election will be held on May 31 and nomination is on May 23. Umno will decide on Monday of it wants to contest in the by-election.
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