PAS not after PM's post, says party veep
PETALING JAYA : PAS is not interested in chasing after the prime minister's post or lobbying for top government positions, says party vice-president Idris Ahmad.
He said the party's culture has always been guided by humility and a focus on service, not ambition for power.
'We don't chase the position to the point of lobbying or fighting for it. That's not PAS's principle,' he was quoted as saying in a transcript published by Utusan Malaysia.
Even with the party's muktamar scheduled for September, Idris said, PAS leaders have refrained from campaigning or seeking support for internal positions.
'I've been attending official functions every week in Dungun, Mersing and Iskandar Puteri, but not once have I spoken about internal contests,' he said.
'All we talk about is the directive to strengthen and reinforce the party. If PAS veers from this, we'd lose even before sunrise.'
PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin said last November the party should lead Perikatan Nasional given its parliamentary strength and grassroots machinery.
Traditionally, the PN chairman is regarded as the coalition's prime ministerial candidate.
Leaders from Gerakan and Bersatu have publicly stated that Muhyiddin Yassin remains PN's sole candidate for the position.
Idris also said that what matters to PAS is helping PN perform better than Pakatan Harapan, not fighting over who should be the prime minister.
'The appointment of the prime minister depends on the name submitted to the king. Even discussing this requires consensus within PN,' he said.
'Let us win first. Then whoever is qualified can take the role. The position of prime minister is not something PAS is fighting over.'
He said this approach is deeply rooted in the leadership style of party president Abdul Hadi Awang, who once declined to contest a state seat in Terengganu during the 14th general election despite pressure to lead the state.
'Tok Guru Hadi proposed Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar instead. At that time, Samsuri was the election director and didn't even know he would be contesting,' he said.
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