PAS’ Ahmad Awang awakens from political slumber

Rahmah Ghazali, The Star

When his name was first brought up as a challenger to Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang for the PAS presidency, veteran leader Ahmad Awang (pic) knew this would not sit well with many.

Having been out of mainstream politics for seven years, the 79-year-old said some have questioned the rationale behind naming him, whom they claimed has been in a ‘long slumber’.

“Truth to be told, I never left the party, nor the party’s struggle. I have been focusing on work outside the party, that still involves dakwah (preaching),” he told The Star Onlineduring a recent interview here.

Ahmad, who wants to set up a religious school and an orphanage in his hometown in Gunung Semanggol, Perak, said he first earned the wrath of Hadi’s supporters when he was critical of the president’s decision-making during the Selangor mentri besar crisis last year.

“They wanted to know where I had been all this while, but suddenly decided to criticise the leadership?

“As a life PAS member, I am entitled to voice my opinion because I am unhappy with what was happening to the party and how it affected our relationship with Pakatan Rakyat,” he said.

It did not help that he was labelled as an “Anwarista”, a term coined to describe a PAS leader who is aligned to jailed Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

His criticism of Hadi and the Syura Ulama council on their handling of the Selangor mentri besar crisis also landed him in a political minefield.

“The Syura Ulama council had no standing to veto a decision made by the central working committee, which had already agreed on Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the mentri besar candidate.

“Throughout my career in the Syura Ulama council, we never once interfered with executive decisions,” he said, recounting the days when he was the Perak commissioner for eight years before turning down all party positions in 2009.

“The decision to name the state mentri besar lies in the hands on the party’s commissioner, never the Syura Ulama council.

“When we won Perak in 2008, we achieved a consensus in the spirit of Pakatan Rakyat despite our differing views on other things,” he said.

Ahmad has so far garnered three nominations, making him eligible to contest the PAS presidency in the election slated to take place in early June.

According to the PAS constitution, a person needs at least two nominations before contesting any position.

For now, the former civil servant is holding his cards close to his chest on whether he will actually contest in the polls.

“I am not young anymore. Let’s see how many more nominations I’ll receive. If it doesn’t change, then perhaps it’s better a stronger contender takes on Hadi,” he said.

PAS has told its divisions to submit their nominations by April 30. To date, Hadi is leading with 80 nominations, followed by Datuk Husam Musa with seven and Ahmad with three nominations.

Seemingly unperturbed by the numbers, Ahmad said things could take a twist come election day.

“Many grassroots leaders have come to say they had to nominate Hadi to appear loyal (wala) to the party leadership. The numbers could change,” he said.

However, due to his outspoken criticism against the current leadership, Ahmad has become the target of a smear campaign.

Recently, it was reported that two banners were put up near his residence in Gombak, labelling him a slanderer (pemfitnah).

He also confirmed that he was banned from giving religious talks in several mosques in Selangor, soon after he was nominated to stand against Hadi.

“I don’t know what they’re afraid of, I haven’t even decided to contest yet,” he said.