Mohamad Sabu’s deputy PAS president victory underscores the value party grassroots place on sustaining good relations with PKR and DAP and power-equation between Muslims and non-Muslims.
There’s realisation the party needs Pakatan Rakyat partners to reach Putrajaya.
The new PAS is amoebic and constantly adjusts to its surroundings, with the current recipe of the day means sticking to Pakatan Rakyat partners to face the upcoming general election.
This, the PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said in his opening address, is the most important task at hand.
He wanted everyone to close ranks after the elections and prepare for the general election.
The current party polls has been the most hotly contested in recent memory with a three way contest for the deputy president’s post and six way tussle for the three vice-presidents positions, to complete the top leadership.
Hadi Awang won unopposed when nomination closed on June 15.
In the election Mat Sabu thumped his nearest rival Pahang PAS commissioner Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man by 21 votes bagging 420 votes against Tuan Ibrahim’s 399. The third contestant incumbent Nasharuddin trailed behind with 224 votes.
In the vice-president race posts Husam Musa, who lost to Nasharuddin in 2009, made a comeback with 660 votes.
The other two incumbents retained their places — Salahuddin Ayub who got a high 753 and Mahfouz Omar, 616 votes.
It means all four top posts contests when to “Erdogans” leaving ulamas out. This is a victory for PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat who urged delegates to support his fellow “Kelantanese”.
Losing out in the vice president were Idris Ahmad, 491, a religious scholar, Mohd Amar Abdullah, 321, and Nizar Jamaluddin, 217, the former Perak Mentri Besar who was a last minute inclusion.
Nizar though a non-Ulama came out last. This might be down to his initial rise to prominence three years ago as mentri besar was due to him being the most qualified to take the position. With him having lost the post two years his star may have dipped in the party.
Mat Sabu is a well liked Pakatan leader and his election is a testament to his popularity among the party grassroots and his close rapport with the Pakatan machinery which is gearing for general election.
The PAS rank and file saw fit to elect Mat Sabu because they wanted the rapport with the Pakatan Rakyat continue and benefit the party in the long run.
Mat Sabu ousted two ulamas in the race for number two post — the three-term incumbent Nasharuddin Mat Isa and newcomer Pahang PAS commissioner Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man who was also a last minute entry.
This is Mat Sabu’s second attempt at the post and his election indicates he is the first non-Ulama to hold the deputy president’s post since the 1980s.
In 2009 he was defeated in a three way contested with eventual winner Nasharuddin and Husam Musa.
In the vice-president’s race senior Kelantan exco Husam Musa has made a comeback . A non-Ulama, Husam is considered close to PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Aziz, and is seen as a progressive voice in the party.
Mat Sabu however does not come from a religious background and his success indicates a grassroots desire for rejuvenation and a boost for its new image as a more open and accommodating party.
The PAS grassroots had got fed up with Nasharuddin, a three term deputy president, who only plays second fiddle to the president and not lend his name to any new initiatives.
Mat Sabu on the other hand had ventured out giving press conferences and speaking about his challenge and assuring his supporters he would be there on Friday morning.
His youthful appeal is expected to draw a younger, more diverse group of supporters for PAS
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yes - PAS members must closed ranks now. the road to putrajaya is really tough n littered with huge obstacles. BN UMNO with their 3 M - money , media , machinery is a giant party - difficult to beat but not impossible but PAS n PR must worked very very hard now. ITS NOW OR NEVER in GE 13. Good luck PR
Syabas PAS! Together we, Malaysians, in Pakatan Rakyat takes on UMNO/MCA/MIC/GERAKAN/SUPP, the Malays, Chinese, Indians of BN!
PAS is ready, DAP is ready, PKR needs some fine tuning, PSM is strong, UMNO is in shambles, MCA is in a state of rot and shock and MIC is still in a daze! It is now or never, Malaysians! Putrajaya beckons. Stand united despite what UMNOsaja will spin in the main stream medias.
It is our votes that matter, BN can spin what they want, but, we must be steadfast in our beliefs and stand that we can take Putrajaya! Together we can do it bangsa Malaysia! Bangkit Bangsa Malaysia!
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