Amanah gaining support among the Malays

PARTI Amanah Negara is receiving some 10,000 new members every month, claims its deputy president Datuk Salahuddin Ayub.

A high number of this are PAS members as many of the grassroots, he says, are confused about its “marriage” with Umno.

“We can replace PAS now because PAS is now already married to Umno.

“The ordinary members from the grassroots cannot accept Umno. I tell you now that evey month we receive 10,000 new members,” he says.

Salahuddin, who joined Amanah in 2015 after being in PAS for over three decades, is responding to a question on what the party could do to shore up its support among the Malays.

Umno and PAS are said to be exploring alliances, with both parties sending representatives to each’s general assembly and muktamar.

Salahuddin says in the past, the people did not have “access” to what Islam was truly all about.

“But now we are in power. We have RTM and TV3.

“So, now, the time is right for us to explain what Islam is all about (and) what it can do in your life,” he adds.

Salahuddin joined PAS in 1983 and his last post in the Islamist party was as vice-president.

He was formerly its Youth chief.

Salahuddin was among a group of PAS members including Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, who left after an acrimonious split over policy differences to form Amanah, which joined up with Pakatan Harapan.

When he was in PAS, he was a two-time MP for Kubang Kerian.

In the 2013 general election, he stood in the Nusajaya state and the Pulai parliamentary seats but lost both.

He stood again in the Simpang Jeram state seat and in Pulai for the May 9 polls and won.

There was talk that Salahuddin was once considered for the Johor Mentri Besar post.

Despite the much publicised split from PAS however, Salahuddin insists that he keeps in touch with his former party comrades.

“We cannot cut our ties because we are Muslims. I practise Islam,” he says, adding that he enjoys a good relationship with his “brothers” and friends in PAS and that they have no problems with each other.

“We can still talk about politics – especially for those, I don’t want to name names, who cannot accept me.

“I will talk to everyone.”