PAS losing support among Malays, admits party leaders
(TMI) KOTA BARU, June 12 — PAS leaders have admitted that the Islamist party has not been able to garner enough Malay support compared to its political foe Umno.
PAS National Unity chairman Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the party was losing support among the Malays, but blamed the mainstream media for portraying a misconceived image of the party which served the interests of Umno.
“PAS is losing support among the Malays…Maybe PAS has not done enough (to attract Malay support.)
“But the fact is we are being attacked by the mainstream media as not fighting for the Malays, which is not true,” Dr Mujahid told The Malaysian Insider last night.
The Parit Buntar MP said PAS needed to do more to explain to Malays that their rights would not be eroded if the Islamist party or Pakatan Rakyat (PR) were to take over Putrajaya.
“The party needs to do more to remind Malays that if PAS were to take over, their rights, Islam as an official religion and the sanctity of the Malay language would be preserved…it will still be intact, nothing will change,” he said.
Dr Mujahid’s remarks come amid warnings by PAS state delegates today to the party leadership to not abandon Malay voters in its drive to woo non-Muslims.
The issue of PAS’ recent move to form a new wing, the PAS Supporters’ Congress which was expected to be a hotly contested issue became the focal point of discussion today during the debate on president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s policy speech.
“I do not want us to make a mistake in our chase and pursuit of non-Malays that we forget Malay voters, who are our original support base,” said Kelantan delegate Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.
Mohd Amar said that although PAS had been making inroads among the non-Muslims, Umno has been using this as a means to instil hatred and confusion among Malays in rural areas.
“PAS’ relationship with non-Muslims is being used by Umno to sway Malays in rural areas and kampungs, and they do not know about these things, they don’t understand,” said Mohd Amar who is also Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner.
But Dr Mujahid insisted that party delegates’ grouses had nothing to do with the formation of the non-Muslim wing.
