Despite the PAS leadership's spirited calls to 'Capture Selangor' in the upcoming general election, the party branches and divisions in the state appear to be rather 'unprepared' for the task.

On Monday, PAS Selangor held its 13th 'Ijtima' (assembly) at the party headquarters in Taman Melewar, Gombak. The event was attended by some 1,000 delegates.

Led by PAS state commissioner Hassan Shukri (photo) and Harun Taib - leader of the influential Dewan Ulama (Religious scholars assembly) - the call to capture the state was greeted with a resounding 'Siap' (ready) from the delegates.

However, the questions aired by the state leadership as well as the rank and file later told a different story.

Non-Muslim voters

PAS Selangor deputy commissioner Hassan Ali made an impassioned plea for the branches and divisions to get their act together.

"We have only a few months before the elections, maybe a few weeks! But there are still party divisions and branches whose representatives are asking, 'what are we supposed to do?'

"Does this mean that our machineries are not prepared?" he asked.

He said the party's relationship with non-Muslims also needed to be improved, especially in Selangor where Muslim voters make-up only 48 percent of registered voters.

"Fifty-two percent of the population (in Selangor) are non-Muslims. Assuming we get 65 percent of Muslim votes, it still cannot get us a majority in the state assembly. Are we prepared to face such challenges?" he told the delegates.

The Muslim-based party which aims to establish an Islamic state has failed to make any significant inroads in Selangor in the past elections. The party only controls four state seats.

Following the recent re-delineation process by the Election Commission, Selangor now has 56 state seats and 22 parliamentary seats.

Common manifesto

Meanwhile, PAS Shah Alam division chief Khalid Abdul Samad asked when will the Barisan Alternatif (BA) common manifesto be revealed.

"Where is our manifesto? This has to be clarified to the voters! What are the objectives of our struggle? If they ask us 'apa dasar kamu?' (what are your policies), we have no answers to give them."

Another delegate asked if party members were serious about preparing for next weekend's Muktamar or annual general assembly since the party headquarters itself was not maintained properly.

"Every year for thirteen years we have been having this state party assembly. This is supposed to be the party's headquarters, the show-piece for the rest of the country.

"But even this morning, I see no preparations: the building is not ready, the toilets are filthy, and the surroundings are not kempt."

Women's wings

A woman delegate quizzed the party leadership on when the Women's wings in the opposition front would work together.

"The leadership keeps asking 'are you ready? are you ready?' But as of now, the women have yet to start anything with any of the BA women. Where is the BA?" she said.

Responding to this, PAS Women's wing head Wan Hasrina Wan Hassan said meetings on the preparations for the upcoming polls have been taking place between women committees from the parties in the opposition front.

However, she added that the question was when work would start between the grassroots members.

"There are still some of us who are asking 'What are we supposed to do?' Some have not started anything" she said.

BA consist of two parties, PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan).