Malaysia

T’ganu PAS to be more cautious in state polls after GE15 election petitions

MB says specific steps to be taken so as not to fall foul of election law

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 05 Jul 2023 4:21PM

T’ganu PAS to be more cautious in state polls after GE15 election petitions — Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar says PAS would continue upholding its mature and prosperous political culture at all times, especially during the election process. – ABDUL RAZAK LATIF/The Vibes file pic, July 5, 2023

KUALA TERENGGANU – Terengganu PAS will take specific steps and be more cautious in ensuring that the party’s operations for the coming state election do not contravene any election law.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who is also PAS vice-president, said this includes scrutinising the implementation of the state government’s programmes throughout the campaign period.

Nevertheless, he said PAS would continue upholding its mature and prosperous political culture at all times, especially during the election process.

“It is indeed our agenda to always be cautious, especially after the (election petition) cases in Marang and Kuala Terengganu, we will avoid making mistakes.

“As far as I know, we (the state government) do not have any programmes relating to the distribution of aid or donations during the state polls. We will only proceed with the Awal Muharram programme on July 19,” he told a press conference after an event at Wisma Darul Iman here today.

Samsuri, who is incumbent assemblyman for Ru Rendang, said this when asked about the party’s plans for the state polls, especially after the Terengganu election court’s decision on June 27 to nullify the victory of Kuala Terengganu MP Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim, who represented PAS in last year’s general election.

Judge Datuk Seri Mohd Firuz Jaffril said the court found that the petitioner, Datuk Mohd Zubir Embong of Barisan Nasional (BN), had successfully proven that corrupt practices had occurred with the aim of influencing voters in the election for that parliamentary seat during the federal polls.

The judge said that even though the petitioner was not called as a witness, other evidence was sufficient to declare the election in Kuala Terengganu null and void under Section 36 of the Election Offences Act.

However, the court upheld the victory of PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang as MP for Marang.

For the record, in 2018 state polls, the Terengganu government was formed by PAS after the party won 22 out of 32 state seats, while BN only obtained 10. – Bernama, July 5, 2023