PAS Open to Contest for President and Deputy President Positions in Upcoming Elections
No Restrictions on Contests for Top Positions
PAS, a Malaysian political party, has announced that it will not stand in the way of any leader who wishes to contest the president and deputy president’s posts in the party elections slated for September. According to Sanusi Nor, the party’s election director and Kedah Menteri Besar, all eligible members are welcome to contest the posts.
Past Contests for Top Positions
The last time the PAS president’s position was contested was in 2015, when Abdul Hadi Awang defended the post against Ahmad Awang, and Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was elected deputy president, beating then incumbent Mohamad Sabu. However, in recent years, there have been no contests for the top five positions, with the vice-presidencies won unopposed by Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, Idris Ahmad, and Amar Abdullah in 2023.
Grooming a Candidate for the Prime Minister’s Post
According to political analyst Syaza Shukri, PAS should allow a contest for the deputy president’s position in its coming elections as a step towards grooming a candidate for the prime minister’s post. She believes that the deputy president is naturally seen as next in line for the presidency, and that whoever holds the position could become Perikatan Nasional’s prime ministerial candidate in the next general election.
No Restrictions on Contests
Sanusi emphasized that PAS has never set any ruling to prevent its top positions from being contested. "We have no such restrictions, nor any directive barring contests for the top positions. There has never been such an order," he said.
Conclusion
PAS’s decision to allow contests for the president and deputy president’s positions is a step towards strengthening the party’s leadership and potentially grooming a candidate for the prime minister’s post. With no restrictions on contests, eligible members are free to put themselves forward for the top positions.
FAQs
- What is the deadline for contests for the president and deputy president’s positions in PAS’s upcoming elections?
- Will there be any restrictions on who can contest for the top positions?
- What is the purpose of allowing contests for the deputy president’s position?
- How will the party’s leadership be structured after the elections?