PAS: Members contesting against Perikatan in Kedah automatically expelled, but could still atone for it
KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — PAS members who became independent candidates in two state seats in Kedah to go up against the party’s coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) will have their memberships terminated automatically, the party said today.
However, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan also indicated that such independent candidates and their supporters could still return to support PN, which would then be used to mitigate the disciplinary action against them.
In a statement issued tonight, Takiyuddin stressed that PAS seriously views the action of several members who breached party discipline and the party’s decision by joining the Kedah state election — namely the Ayer Hangat and Kuah state seats — without the party’s permission and blessings.
Citing the Langkawi PAS secretary’s report he said he just received, Takiyuddin said eight PAS members in that area were found to have breached party rules, with two of them being independent candidates in those two seats, while the rest are the candidates’ representatives, proposers and seconders.
“According to that report, all measures had been taken by the local leadership to persuade and block those individuals from continuing with their intent, but failed to achieve the aim hoped for,” he said in the statement.
Takiyuddin did not name any of the eight individuals in his statement, but two of them are PAS leaders who decided to run against PN coalition partner Bersatu.
Following nominations on July 29, the Ayer Hangat state seat in Kedah will see a four-cornered fight between Barisan Nasional’s Hisham Suhaily Othman, PN’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s Shamsilah Siru, independent candidate Zulfadli Mohd Yusof, and Langkawi PAS deputy youth chief Safwan Hanif Shafie.
The Kuah state seat will have a three-cornered fight between Pakatan Harapan’s Ahmad Fauzi Chik, PN’s Amar Pared Mahamud from Bersatu, and Langkawi PAS deputy chief Mazlan Ahmad who contested as an independent candidate.
Takiyuddin also highlighted that PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang had on July 26 stressed and that he himself had notified on July 27 and July 30 that any PAS members who defy the party’s decision by contesting as independent candidates in the state election or take any action which would be to the party’s detriment could see stern action being taken against them, including being sacked from PAS.
Takiyuddin said he had today received a letter from one of the two independent candidates who decided to quit all his PAS party positions, while three other members who is this candidate’s proposer, seconder and candidate representative had also sent in letters to also quit their party posts.
Takiyuddin said the other independent candidate declared that he has left the party.
Since the party rules had already been notified to all party members, Takiyuddin said PAS has no choice but to enforce the existing rules without affecting the rights of the individuals involved to appeal or make a new membership application to join the party in the future.
“The related individuals (except for the one who has quit the party) are also given the choice to make a declaration of withdrawal from the election and to ask their supporters to support Perikatan Nasional (PN) at the two state seats involved,” he said.
“If this offer is accepted, it can be a mitigating factor against any disciplinary charges that can be made against them,” he said.
Takiyuddin also expressed PAS’ appreciation and gratitude to these party members on their involvement, contribution and sacrifices to the party all this while, adding that PAS believes that the differences in opinion and priorities at this moment or on certain issues would not end the long-standing good ties between such individuals and the party and other members.
Takiyuddin then urged all PAS members and supporters to continue supporting and to vote for verified PN candidates in the state elections on August 12.
