KUALA LUMPUR: PAS will name its candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election after Hari Raya, says party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali.
He said the Election Commission (EC) has yet to announce the nomination and polling dates for the state seat but expected the announcement to be made after the festivities.
“The candidate will be from Negri Sembilan, I can guarantee that. We have many candidates from there and we will shortlist the names soon,” Mustafa told a press conference at PAS headquarters here yesterday.
He added that the party would like to meet the EC and requested that polling day be on a non-working day such as a weekend.
“We hope that history will not repeat itself like in the Permatang Pasir by-election, which was held on a working day and had low voter turnout,” he said, adding that the party would also discuss with the EC the management of postal votes to ensure a free and fair election.
Mustafa added that PAS would discuss the Bagan Pinang by-election in detail during its Central Committee meeting this Sunday.
On Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s statement that he was willing to talk to PAS for the sake of Islam, he said the party did not mind discussing matters except those regarding political affiliation.
“We have already established an alliance with DAP and PKR in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition and we have faced the general elections together. So there is no need to have any discussions in this context,” he said.
However, Mustafa said PAS would be willing to engage in talks concerning Federal government and state government relations and issues of public interest.
“There is no problem in discussing government-to-government matters because it is essential for development. The construction of hospitals, police stations and prisons require allocations which are disbursed by the Federal government,” he said.
He added that matters regarding public and national interests such as the attacks in Palestine and the use of English in the teaching of Mathematics and Science could also be discussed for the benefit of society.
Asked to comment on DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang’s statement that he could not predict if Pakatan would remain united forever, Mustafa said it was too early to say such things.
“What we need now is to strengthen our ties and not predict that they will break,” he said.
“However, we have been together for the past general elections since 1999, and hopefully we will be united again in the 13th general election,” Mustafa added.
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