KEPALA BATAS: Penang PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden is undaunted by the prospect of contesting in Permatang Pauh, the legacy seat of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s family.
An upbeat Afnan said he was ready for the challenge and hopeful of his chances even though he might be facing a family member of PKR adviser Anwar.
The parliamentary seat has been held by Anwar and his wife, PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ibrahim, for the past 36 years. Anwar first won it in 1982 under Umno.
Permatang Pauh was won by Anwar by more than 11,000 votes in 2013, and retained by Dr Wan Azizah by 8,841 votes in the 2015 by-election after his sodomy conviction.
“I stand a good chance of winning the seat as we have received a positive response, especially from the older generation, during my walkabouts in Permatang Pauh,” said Afnan, 36.
“Most of them strongly supported Anwar when he was against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during the former prime minister’s days with Barisan Nasional.
“But now, the voters are disappointed that Anwar is cooperating with Dr Mahathir (in Pakatan Harapan),” said Afnan after his candidacy was announced by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang during a ceramah at the party’s headquarters in Pongsu Seribu here.
Afnan, from Penanti, is also PAS Youth secretary and the son of former Baling MP Datuk Taib Azamudden Md Taib. He joined PAS in 1996 when he was only 14.
Also present at the event were Penang PAS commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff, Penang PAS elections director Bukhori Ghazali and Parti Cinta Malaysia deputy president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan.
Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah, who is Anwar and Dr Wan Azizah’s eldest daughter and PKR vice-president, is tipped to be fielded in her family’s legacy seat.
There were suggestions recently that PKR might find it a lot tougher to defend the seat in GE14 without PAS, which is no longer with the Opposition pact, renamed Pakatan Harapan.
Penang PAS secretary Izuree Ibrahim said last month that PKR won “because of our support, and may lose without our support”.
PAS may not be able to win Permatang Pauh but it could damage PKR’s chances and this will benefit Barisan.
In Bukit Mertajam, Abdul Hadi said PAS needed a stronger and definitely younger candidate to fight 92-year-old Dr Mahathir, the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman and former prime minister, who is contesting to become the next Langkawi MP.
“Mahathir once helmed Umno but has now turned his back on it and is contesting under PKR.
“For his age, I pity him. The people in Langkawi will appreciate a fresh leadership,” he said after launching a 40m-long wooden walkway in Kampung Juru, which was built at a cost of RM6,000.
Abdul Hadi declined to reveal the PAS candidate for Langkawi, saying that an announcement would be made on Thursday.
The incumbent Langkawi MP is Umno’s Nawawi Ahmad.
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