PAS plots capture of Umno states in next polls

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

June 13, 2010

Khalid speaks at the PAS muktamar in Kota Baru June 12, 2010. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KOTA BARU, June 13 — PAS will launch a  vigorous campaign to win 60 federal seats in the next general election to again deny the ruling Umno-Barisan Nasional the two-thirds Parliamentary majority.
The bold plan, which was unanimously passed during the PAS annual general assembly yesterday, will be executed to “ensure that PAS attains as many Parliamentary seats as possible to replace Umno as the core of national politics based on leadership by Islamic values.”
The proposal titled “PAS action plan for the 13th general elections” sees PAS eyeing 37 Parliamentary seats currently dominated by mainly Umno MPs in addition to retaining the Islamist party’s own 23 seats.
The proposal outlines a breakdown of potential seats to be won by PAS:

• Seats where PAS lost by less than 13,000 votes (in 2008) = 13 seats
  
• Seats where PAS lost by less than 10,000 votes= 8 seats
  
• Seats where PAS lost by less than 5,000 votes= 16 seats

“We are planning a takeover of Umno seats,” PAS Shah Alam delegate Khalid Samad told The Malaysian Insider.
The Shah Alam MP claimed PAS’ success in penetrating Umno-stronghold areas in Johor during the last general election showed that support for the party had been on a steady increase.
“Previously, PAS had contested in Johor but lost our deposits. But now this is no longer the case.
“What is happening now is that there is a shift where Malays are slowly gravitating towards PAS because we practice a new kind of politics... that fulfils the needs of a multicultural society. It can be done and has been done in Pakatan-ruled states now,” said Khalid.
PAS had won the state seats of Sungai Abong and Maharani, both in Johor, in Election 2008 much to Umno’s surprise as the southern state is its fortress and birthplace.
“If we keep up with the same working spirit, with PAS’ co-operation within Pakatan Rakyat (PR), we can replace Umno.
“The Islamic way is the way we want.
“So in preparation for the 13th general election, we should not look left, or right ... we are on the right track,” said Khalid.
The motion had been brought up by the delegates from Kubang Kerian, Pokok Sena, Kubang Pasu, Jerantut and Bandar Tun Razak.
The proposal is seen as PAS’ attempts to solidify its position within the PR coalition and distance itself from alleged PAS-Umno unity talks.
Various reasons for the Islamist party’s failure in the last elections have been identified as:

1. The domination of mainstream media by Barisan Nasional (BN) whereby PAS still has problems in reaching out to rural Malays because their opinions are shaped by what they read in BN-influenced news media.
   
2. Postal votes are the primary weapon used by BN to win areas like Pekan and Bagan Pinang.
   
3. Communities in rural areas like Felda and villages are “closed societies”, which could be seen during the Hulu Selangor by-election where Malay voters rejected PR.
   
4. A high number of unregistered voters (Elections Commission states that 4.39 million voters have yet to register).
   
5. The imbalance of support and influence for PR in Sabah and Sarawak as opposed to Peninsular Malaysia.
   
6. PAS’ untrained election machinery in these areas.
   

The proposal further put forth a 15-point action plan in response to the problems identified as hindering PAS from winning more seats:

1. A preparation of an alternative media that can rival the BN-controlled mainstream media, and focused on reaching to rural Malays.
   
2. A special fund for the 13th general election be set up to prepare election machinery.
   
3. A serious and systematic approach in getting voters to vote. Minimum target is one million voters in the whole country.
   
   - The Malaysian Insider