PAS demands for the resignation of the Election Commission (EC) chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman for allowing the body to be abused by the ruling party.

Endorsing the motion forwarded by PAS Muslimat (women's wing) representative Rahmah Mat Isa, all 953 delegates unanimously supported the demand that Abdul Rahman and EC secretary Wan Ahmad Wan Omar step down.

In presenting her motion, Rahmah said such actions by the EC had breached its constitutional role as an independent body, adding that party leaders should refer the matter to the Rulers' Council for action against the commission.

"The EC has a personal agenda, which is to ensure the survival of Umno and Barisan Nasional," she said,

"This can be seen when they clearly sided with Umno by employing part-time workers from among Puteri Umno members for the coming general election."

Last week, PAS MPs Mahfuz Omar, Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi and Kamarudin Jaafar revealed an agreement between Umno and the EC for the latter to hire Puteri Umno members to work as part-time administrative assistants to prepare for the general election.

Not independent

Rahmah also referred to Abdul Rashid's recent Sept 12 statement on the commission's independence, which was reported by malaysiakini.

"We recognise the danger in his statement, (which he claimed) that the independence of the EC was bounded by the ruling party, and therefore can no longer be entrusted in providing free and fair election," she said.

"If these abuse and corrupt practices continue, there will be dissatisfaction among the people who will then reject an election results and this may need to unrest," she added.

Malaysiakini had an exclusive interview with Abdul Rashid and the articles were published in several parts last week.

Meanwhile, the party's information chief Azizan Abdul Razak reiterated that the party is serious about taking legal action against the EC for arbitrarily transferring old voters to other constituencies.

"The matter is still in discussions with our legal advisers. We are in the midst of determining the panel of lawyers who are to represent us, we need to find those with locus standi to institute the action against the commission as PAS is not a voter," he said.

On the separate matter of PAS' political image, Azizan said he hoped that members will not abandon the party's main role as an Islamic movement.

"In working hard to win the elections, we cannot entirely focus our attention to politics. We must remember that the party is first and foremost a movement to enhance the image of Islam," he said.

"We have been sincere in working hard for the good of the religion. This is our edge. That is why although we have lost the elections, our movement has expanded. We must continue this."

Reaching out to non-Malays

Meanwhile, PAS vice president Dr Hassan Ali today revealed that the party will be launching a series of dialogues with non-Malay communities throughout the country, in a bid to gain their support and confidence for the upcoming general election.

"Since January we have published a book entitled Burning National Issues in different languages including English, Chinese, Tamil and Kadazan to explain our policies on important issues such as human rights, government administration, justice, youth, education and so on," he said in his concluding speech on the final day of the assembly.

He said the book, available in six different languages, reflected the seriousness of the party's inter-cultural committee in facing the coming general election.

Dr Hassan also urged party members to give their best in carrying out the party's "balance score card" programme, an election-readiness standard that would enable the party to monitor its election machinery at all levels - from division up to the state.

"We will measure their readiness and issue ratings so that the relevant areas will now be their level of preparation and overcome whatever problems to improve their position.

"If we can make sure that everything is prepared we can be assured that our hope to win the coming general election is based on our true strength and not figments of our imagination," he added.