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PAS’s huge victory in the recent Kemaman by-election sends a loud and thunderous message that the party has a strong prime ministerial candidate, said Senator Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker.
The former MCA vice-president said PAS no longer wants to be a backroom boy and is no longer shy about making a clear and loud statement that they are now aiming for the “political throne”.
“PAS today is a well-organised, well-oiled, dynamic, and versatile political party. Gone were the days when PAS was a backwater party confined to the east coast of Kelantan, Terengganu, and the northern state of Kedah.
“In other words, we can now say PAS has come of age. They are already the biggest party, with the biggest number of MPs,” he said.
At a time when Umno, PKR, Bersatu and other political parties are facing internal problems, Ti said, PAS emerged victorious over all these dominant political parties by having an undisputed face for the prime minister’s post in Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
“Dr Sam is a technocrat who has led Terengganu PAS to a 100% victory in the recent state election.
“As a menteri besar who has ruled Terengganu since 2018, he has never created any bewilderment, fear, phobia, or disapproval from the non-Malays,” he said.
Ti said there were no fears nor issues with PAS when they were partners with DAP in the state government from 2008 to 2018.
“There was also no issue with PAS when they were with BN in the federal government from 1972 to 1977.
“A revisit to 1982 will show that it was DAP, Semangat 46 and others that helped PAS wrest power from Umno. Upon coming into power, the PAS cleric-led party introduced the first hudud law in Malaysia.
“DAP had again worked with PAS in 1999 under the Barisan Alternatif coalition. Then, there were a series of PAS and DAP cooperations, and of late, Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang has hinted that DAP was prepared to work with PAS again,” he said.
Ti said his conclusion was that the DAP will work with PAS and recognise Dr Sam as the nation’s prime minister post-GE16 if the need arises.
“So, in the meantime, my advice to non-Muslims and especially the Chinese is not to be combative or confrontational towards everything PAS does.
“Maybe it is time to brace ourselves for the first Malaysian prime minister from PAS,” he said. – The Vibes, December 4, 2023
