Poster Urging Samsuri To Resign Signals Escalating Strife Says Analyst

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Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, the Terengganu menteri besar and PAS vice-president, is viewed as a technocrat, one of two factions into which party members are divided. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Posters which recently went viral urging PAS vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar to resign as Terengganu menteri besar could be linked to infighting ahead of the party elections in September, an analyst says.
Samsuri is viewed as a technocrat, one of two factions into which PAS members are divided. The other is the ulama faction.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said on Monday that the central leadership and leadership in Terengganu had no issues with Samsuri, also known as Dr Sam.
But despite Tuan Ibrahim’s show of support, analyst Awang Azman Pawi said that the posters signalled escalating tension between the two camps.
Awang, of Universiti Malaya, said that Samsuri, who has led the Terengganu state government for almost seven years, appeared to be dealing with issues that indicate dissatisfaction with his leadership.
He noted the criticism Samsuri had faced over a trip abroad in 2022 when Terengganu was hit by floods, and scrutiny over matters related to state land and Terengganu’s economic performance.
“Also, the RM500 in special Hari Raya aid for civil servants under the Terengganu government was granted by the federal government,” said Awang.
Photos of the posters had gone viral on social media, leading to speculation that Terengganu PAS was facing internal turmoil.
But Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said he did not see the posters as evidence of a rift between PAS leaders in Terengganu and the state administration.
“Unless there is a faction in PAS’s leadership which publicly disagrees with Samsuri… that would be proof of a conflict,” he said.
Samsuri’s name had been frequently mentioned in discussions about the possibility of PAS putting forward a prime ministerial candidate.
He suggested last month that he might not seek re-election at the party polls.
Samsuri, who has been a PAS vice-president since 2019, also said he did not consider himself qualified to take over the party’s top post following speculation that the top two posts might be contested for the first time in 10 years. - FMT

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