‘Hadi won’t be defending Ru Rendang’
PAS: President will only be contesting in parliamentary seat
KUALA LUMPUR: PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang will not be defending the state seat of Ru Rendang in Terengganu, which he has held for seven terms, says party secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan.
He said Abdul Hadi, deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and himself would only contest in parliamentary seats but did not name where.
Abdul Hadi is also the incumbent Marang MP.
He has held the Ru Rendang state seat since 1986.
In the 13th General Election, he won Ru Rendang against Barisan Nasional’s Nik Dir Nik Wan Ku with a majority of 2,819 votes.
Takiyuddin, who is the incumbent Kota Baru MP, said he would defend his seat.
PAS will announce its candidates today.
However, the candidates for Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak will be announced separately.
Takiyuddin said for Kelantan, the announcement would be made on April 25, three days before Nomination Day.
“For Sarawak, Abdul Hadi will be there this Saturday to announce the candidates, and he will then head to Sabah the next day to do the same,” he said.
Takiyuddin said PAS would contest in 160 out of the 222 parliamentary seats.
Several candidates from parties friendly to PAS would also contest under the party’s banner, Takiyuddin said.
They include parties from Gagasan Sejahtera and Parti Cinta Malaysia.
On polling day being held on a Wednesday, he said PAS had no problem with it.
“The Kelantanese have been taught since the late Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s time that they should return home to vote.
“They love the state, they will come home,” Takiyuddin said, adding that because of this, he was confident Kelantan would stay with PAS.