Report: Tajuddin can run in GE15 on PAS ticket if Umno doesn't want him

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Perak PAS is offering Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman a chance to defend his Pasir Salak parliamentary seat in the next general election after the Umno politician was removed as a member from his party's powerful supreme council.

Perak PAS chief Razman Zakaria said Tajuddin could run for public office on the Islamist party's ticket if the latter was also dropped as a Barisan Nasional election candidate in GE15, Harakah Daily reported today.

But Razman was quick to add that it depended on whether PAS gets Pasir Salak in its seat allocations under the five-party Perikatan Nasional coalition, of which it is a component member.

“If GE15 happens and Datuk Tajuddin is not given a place in BN, then Perak PAS is ready to offer him to contest on PN’s ticket representing PAS.

“[That’s] if the Pasir Salak seat becomes PAS in the allocation of seats together with PN,” Razman was quoted saying.

Tajuddin, 74, was abruptly removed from the Umno supreme council and replaced with 46-year-old social media activist Isham Jalil yesterday.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan later said the party decided to drop Tajuddin from the supreme council so the latter could focus on his duty as Malaysia’s ambassador to Indonesia.

Tajuddin was recently named the ambassador to Indonesia by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government, but has yet to receive his credentials from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The mandate for Malaysia's current Parliament is not due to expire until next year but speculation has been rife that the 15th general election will be held this year with Umno leading calls for it.