PAS to contest 80 parliamentary seats in GE15

(FMT) – PAS says it will contest at least 80 parliamentary seats at the next general election (GE15), almost half the number it contested in GE14 four years ago.

Party election director Sanusi Md Nor said it was doing so to make more efficient use of its funds, adding that the party was confident of winning at least 40 seats.

The party won 18 out of the 155 seats it contested in GE14. However, Kuala Nerus MP Khairuddin Aman Razali left PAS in March to become an independent MP, leaving the party with 17 seats now.

“From the 17 MPs we have currently, PAS is represented by three ministers and eight deputy ministers in the Cabinet,” he told the muktamar (general assembly) here.

“Imagine how it will be when we have 40 seats. We could hit the targets in our 30-year plan by 2050, culminating with the prime minister being from PAS as well.”

Sanusi, who is also Kedah menteri besar, said that the PAS election committee is analysing parliamentary seats to contest in GE15 based on factors such as the readiness of the party’s machinery in those areas.

He also reminded party members and leaders not to boycott PAS if they are not fielded as candidates in GE15 or if the seats are given to the party’s allies. PAS is a component party in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition which also includes Bersatu and Gerakan.

“We will proceed with whatever decision (that) has been made by the party leadership,” he said.

“Any effort to lobby for a change of candidate from those that have already been finalised by the party’s central leadership is discouraged,” he added.

Visiting the media centre later, Sanusi explained the rationale for contesting just 80 parliamentary seats.

He said that rather than spending money on contesting more seats in GE15, such funds could be better utilised on cameras and other equipment to help PAS branches and their members to disseminate information about the party.

“Our resources are limited, we don’t have billionaires (backing the party),” he said.

“We have funds from members (donations), so it’s better for us to focus on 80 seats.”