Mat Sabu returns as PAS deputy chief

Alyaa Azhar, K Pragalath & Jamilah Kamarudin, FMT 

Incumbent PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu retains his post after a tough electoral battle, winning with a wafer thin majority of 98 votes.

Mohamad Sabu, or more known as Mat Sabu, garnered 588 votes while his contender, Kelantan deputy Menteri Besar, Mohamad Amar Nik Abdullah received 490 votes.

PAS election committee chairman Asmuni Awi made the announcement at 7.10pm, after counting votes from 1,086 delegates.  There were eight spoilt votes.

There were some technical glitches yesterday, prompting the election committee to continue the voting process today.

When met later at a press conference, Mat Sabu said that he was not in a celebrative mood.

“There is nothing to celebrate because it is a contest among brothers.  They are not like our rival Umno that have to spend millions to win a vice president’s post,” he said.

On his next course of action, Mat Sabu promised to work hard with the new leadership team, adding, “We hope this team will be more successful to take over Putrajaya.

On the slim majority win, Mat Sabu said “One or two vote majority does not matter because it is still a win,” he said.

The election results for three vice presidents post would be announced tomorrow.

Mat Sabu’s win comes amid calls from certain quarters within the party for him to be replaced as he is claimed not effective in uniting Malay-Muslims within the party.

However, the tide against the non-ulama changed after party president Abdul Hadi Awang announced a few weeks ago that non-ulama could lead the party, citing example of the PAS’ second president, Alias Abas who was not an ulama.

Mat Sabu contested for the Pendang parliament seat in the 13th general election but was defeated by Umno’s Othman Abdul.

The new central working committee line-up are:

Idris Ahmad (927 votes)

Mazlan Aliman (840 votes)

Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin (688 votes)

Amiruddin Hamzah (679 votes)

Mohd Hatta Md Ramli (649 votes)

Nasruddin Hassan Tantawi (645 votes)

Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abd Aziz (627 votes)

Mujahid Yusof Rawa (626 votes)

Dzulkefly Ahmad (610 votes)

Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (604 votes)

Kamarudin Jaffar  (562 votes)

Khalid Samad (547 votes)

Nik Zawawi Salleh (518 votes)

Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi (476 votes)

Riduan Mohd Nor (469 votes)

Mahfodz Mohamed (455 votes)

Siti Mariah Mahmud (437 votes)

Nuridah Salleh (424 votes)