Don T Compare Our Party Polls With Umno S Pas Youth Chief

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PAS MUKTAMAR | Newly elected PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden has chided quarters who had compared the Islamist party’s internal election with Umno’s.
Afnan (above) asserted that there’s a stark difference between the former Muafakat Nasional coalition allies, pointing out that PAS had opened all positions for contest, unlike Umno.
“How are we the same as Umno? We opened our party election candidacy to all, we have never issued orders for the top five positions not to be contested.
“Whoever wants to be a candidate, they can go ahead. PAS has never stopped or prevented anyone from running.
“If you want to nominate Mak Minah, or Cik Embun, or anyone, not a problem, as long as they are PAS members,” he said at a grand ceramah session in conjunction with the 69th PAS Muktamar held at the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) in Shah Alam, Selangor last night.
Previously, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan confirmed that there will be no contest for the positions of president, deputy president and three vice presidents of the Islamist party.
Takiyuddin said party president Abdul Hadi Awang and four others in the party’s central leadership line-up will retain their positions in the election for the 2023-2025 term.
Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor had also rejected nominations to contest for the vice-president post, saying he was not yet ready for the vice-presidency and would rather be a PAS Central Committee member.
In response, Kelantan Umno deputy information chief Noor Hariri Mohamed Noor said he was not surprised by PAS’ decision not to contest the top five positions.
Hariri also described Umno as more democratic than PAS, saying “only the two main positions (president and deputy president) were not contested recently”.
‘Many in Umno ashamed of Zahid’
Meanwhile, Afnan said there are many in Umno who oppose the party’s leadership but could not vote them out.
“There are many in Umno who want to oppose the Umno president (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) in order for them to get a new leader who is better. Because Umno considers the current president to be a liability, a burden. They are ashamed of a president like this.
“They have a leader (Zahid) who said, in a big and official party assembly, ‘No DAP, no Anwar’, but all of a sudden when it’s time to form the government, he is willing to conspire, put aside the party’s principles, lie to the members and party.
“It was for his own sake to seize the ‘throne’ and personal gains.”
Afnan also clarified that PAS’ top five positions were won unopposed instead of them being uncontested.
“If there is only one candidate (who is the incumbent) contesting for one position, then why should it be contested because everyone agrees that the incumbent should be retained?
“This matter needs to be explained in detail so that no quarters manipulate and politicise statements that have been issued before this,” he said.
Also present at the grand ceramah were party deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, vice-president Idris Ahmad and Ulama chief Ahmad Yahaya.  - Mkini

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