ALOR SETAR: A Penang PAS delegate has fired a fresh salvo at Perikatan Nasional partner Gerakan, saying the Islamist party's supporters' wing is "more gentlemanly".
Penang PAS deputy youth chief Muhammad Hafis Alias said the party's Non-Muslim Supporters Wing (DHPP) had shown courage and principles after contesting in non-Malay-majority seats in the 2023 state election.
"Gerakan failed to defend the Bayan Lepas state seat, which is a Malay-majority constituency.
"Look at our DHPP friends. K. Jayaraman contested in an Indian-majority seat, Andrew Teoh in a Chinese-majority constituency, and Steven Koh in Bukit Mertajam.
"They are more gentlemanly than Gerakan," he told delegates while debating the party president's policy speech at the 71st PAS Muktamar here on Monday (Sept 15).
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Jayaraman, Teoh and Koh lost their contests.
Hafis pointed out that 15 of Penang’s 40 state constituencies are Malay-majority areas.
He said these seats must be defended by Malay-Muslim candidates, particularly from PAS, to ensure proper representation.
He added that Bayan Lepas could have been secured if PAS had contested. However, the seat was given to Gerakan president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau, who lost to Pakatan Harapan's Azrul Mahathir Aziz by 1,889 votes.
Hafis said the PAS machinery in Bayan Lepas had been strong since 2008, noting that the party once lost there by only 300 votes.
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“This is not about personalities or individuals.
"It is about ensuring that Malay Muslims are represented in Malay-Muslim constituencies,” he said, urging the leadership to allocate all 15 Malay-majority seats in Penang to Malay-Muslim candidates in the next state polls.
Relations between PAS and Gerakan soured after Lau was named to contest the seat.
On Saturday (Sept 13), Penang PAS ulama council member Mohd Shafirul Rozani expressed dissatisfaction with Lau's leadership as Penang Perikatan chairman, calling on the coalition leadership to replace him.
