Free Malaysia Today — PAS announces its decision to contest in 21 state seats and the parliamentary seat of Permatang Pauh.

GEORGE TOWN:

PAS has vowed to go all out in Penang this coming election, fielding 21 candidates in mostly Malay majority state seats.

Penang PAS chief Muhammad Fauzi Yusof said the party wanted to reduce DAP’s “domination” at the state level.

“We previously stood in five state seats, winning one. We then planned to contest 18 state seats in the coming polls, together with our Gagasan Sejahtera coalition.

“After that, we decided to contest 21 seats or a simple majority to reject DAP’s domination. Come Thursday, we will reveal our candidate list,” he told reporters at a talk here last night.

PAS won the Permatang Pasir seat in the last polls through Mohd Salleh Man. However, Salleh has been dropped as a candidate in the coming election.

His replacement is still unknown, but Faiz Fadzil will contest for Amanah in the seat which is part of the Permatang Pauh constituency.

The other two state seats, Seberang Jaya and Penanti, are held by PKR.

At the event last night, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang also announced Penang PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden as the party’s candidate for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.

Permatang Pauh is currently held by PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Afnan, the son of former Baling MP Taib Azamudden Md Taib, previously lost the Kepala Batas parliamentary seat to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

When asked on PAS’ candidacy in Permatang Pauh and how it would affect PKR’s standing there, Hadi refused to comment, saying, “Only God decides.”

He added however that Permatang Pauh was a “special place” for PAS as the seat was held by PAS strongman Zabidi Ali in 1978.

He also said Permatang Pauh was naturally the best staging ground for PAS as the party was formed in Butterworth in 1951.

In 1982, PAS lost the seat to Anwar Ibrahim who was with Umno at the time.

Penang PAS Supporters’ Assembly (DHPP) chief Asokan Perumal meanwhile told reporters he had turned down an offer to contest on a PAS ticket in the coming polls as he wanted to focus on his family.

A Penang PAS official confirmed that he had been on the candidate list but said the party respected his decision not to contest.

PAS’ Gagasan Sejahtera includes DHPP, Ikatan, Berjasa, the Peoples’ Alternative Party and Parti Cinta Malaysia.

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