State PAS confident of winning at least one seat – Abd Hadi

By: Karen Bong, Borneo Post

KUCHING: Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) is confident of winning at least one out of five parliamentary seats it is contesting in Sarawak this general election.

Its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the goal to win one seat is achievable based on the increased percentage of votes in the last general election, with most of the voters being young people.

“We are confident PAS can win one seat,” he told a press conference after the official announcement and presentation of letters of appointment to the candidates for the coming election at party office in Matang yesterday.

Abdul Hadi, however refused to disclose the seat it expects to win.

“It is a secret, a part of our strategies to win.”

State PAS has announced two new faces for this GE14, namely the director of Malaysia Pasti Management Institute Sarawak, Hamdan Sani, 31, for Petra Jaya, and an agropreneur Zulaihi Bakar, 49, for Sibuti.

The announcement was made by PAS Central Working Committee member and state PAS secretary Mukhtar Suhaili.

Also announced were candidates for Kota Samarahan, Batang Sadong, and Batang Lupar. Entrepreneur Zulkipli Ramzi, 40, has been named the candidate for Kota Samarahan while teacher Asan Singkro, 55, will contest in Batang Sadong.

The Batang Lupar seat will be contested by Wan Abdillah Wan Ahmad, 46, who is also an entrepreneur.

PAS Central Election director general Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and state PAS Commissioner Jofrie Jaraiee were also present at the press conference.

For the record, state PAS contested five seats in GE13, namely, Kota Samarahan, Batang Sadong, Tanjung Manis, Igan and Sibuti but all the candidates were defeated.

This time, PAS is expected to lock horns with Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Amanah Negara of Pakatan Harapan in Kota Samarahan, Batang Lupar and Batang Sadong, and face BN and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidates in Petra Jaya and Sibuti.

All the seats are BN strongholds, represented by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) before the dissolution of the 13th Parliament.

Hadi Awang (seated centre), flanked by Ahmad on his left and Jofrie, addresses a press conference. Also seen are  (standing from second left) Hamdan, Uztaz Wan Abdillah, Asan, Zulkipli and Zulaihi.

Retrieved from: http://www.theborneopost.com/2018/04/22/state-pas-confident-of-winning-at-least-one-seat-abd-hadi/