Opposition party PAS is determined to retain influential ulama (religious scholar) and former lecturer Dr Harun Din and ensure his relevance in the party's Dewan Harian (supreme council).

Sources said his name has been proposed as the new information chief, one of three key posts to be filled by nominations following the party elections held on Sept 13.

Harun was a firm favourite to become the party's deputy president until his shock decision to pull out of the contest which eventually saw Hassan Shukri ( left ) assuming the post after defeating Mustafa Ali.

Incumbents Nasharuddin Mat Isa ( right ) and Halim Abdul Rahman are expected to continue their tenure as party secretary-general and treasurer respectively.

" Dewan Harian has also proposed that members of parliament Mohamad Sabu and Mahfuz Omar (who lost in the contest for vice-presidents' posts) be included among the six elected central committee members," a source told malaysiakini .

PAS central working committee members (CWC) will meet at month's end to finalise the full line-up.

The party's supreme council comprises the president, deputy president, three vice-presidents, and heads of the youth, muslimat (women's) and ulama wings elected during its Muktamar or general assembly.

The constitution allows the party to appoint members to fill the posts of information chief, secretary general and treasurer. It is also allowed to appoint six more committee members, to add to the 18 elected by the delegates.

Mere formality

Sources close to party top leadership said the supreme council members had met last week, and had agreed on Harun's nomination.

"They seemed comfortable with the idea of Harun being the information chief. This will put him within the inner circle (of influence). It's obvious that the leaders want him to play a big role, especially in the coming general election," said a source.

Now, the members have to convince the CWC to accept their proposal at a meeting scheduled for Sunday, but this is expected to be a mere formality because it (the CWC) is known to fully accept proposals.

Harun, a former deputy dean at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia before he retired in 1995, was tipped to win the party's deputy president's post during the party's general assembly.

This would have enabled him to lead PAS in winning influence in the northern states, particularly Kedah, where the party's influence is said to be on the rise.

A member of the party's ulama council, Harun is however still expected to play a vital role in ensuring a victory in Kedah in the next general election.