Latest news with #partyElections
Free Malaysia Today
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
External parties behind push for Hadi to step down, say PAS leaders
Abdul Hadi Awang, a seven-term MP for Marang, has been president of PAS since June 2002. PETALING JAYA : Two PAS leaders have dismissed claims that there is a push within the party for its long-time president, Abdul Hadi Awang, to relinquish the post at the party elections in September. Johor PAS Youth chief Ahmad Nawfal Mahfodz claimed that such a call had never been raised at neither the state nor central leadership level. 'Clearly this push is coming from outside PAS. It's evident that some parties are uneasy with the performance of PAS under Hadi's leadership,' he told FMT. Terengganu PAS leader Hanafiah Mat also said calls for Hadi not to defend the PAS presidency came from outside the party, and not among its members or supporters. 'Although his health is not that great right now, he is mentally sharper than others,' he said. Speculation has emerged that, for the first time in a decade, the posts of PAS president and deputy president might be contested at the party elections in September. The last time the top two posts were contested was in 2015 when Hadi defeated Ahmad Awang for the president's post, and Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man ousted Mohamad Sabu for the deputy presidency. Hadi is a seven-term MP for Marang and a former Terengganu menteri besar. Sinar Harian recently reported that Hadi had conveyed his intention to relinquish the post at a PAS top leadership retreat, citing health reasons. Hadi has suffered declining health in recent years, undergoing dialysis and being admitted to hospital several times. Hanafiah said the party still needed Hadi at the helm, citing his commanding support from the grassroots to the top leadership levels. The Chukai assemblyman also believes Hadi can lead the Islamic party to even greater success at the polls, after its best-ever haul of 43 parliamentary seats in the 2022 general election. 'I'm confident that 'Tok Guru' can lead us towards winning more than 70 parliamentary seats and, God-willing, we will govern Malaysia,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
04-06-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
PAS leader wants Syura Council to vet candidates for top 2 posts
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man have not been challenged since the 2015 party polls. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A PAS leader has proposed that candidates for the party's president and deputy president's posts be vetted by the Syura Council, PAS's highest decision-making body. PAS Dewan Ulama committee member Mokhtar Senik said this is to ensure that those who intend to challenge the positions currently held by Abdul Hadi Awang and Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man are qualified. 'If there are only two qualified candidates, then only those two should contest. Those who do not meet certain standards should be disqualified by the Syura Council,' Mokhtar said on Facebook today. Mokhtar Senik. 'The goal is to ensure the candidates for these top positions meet certain standards, because I worry that everyone thinks they are qualified.' Hadi and Tuan Ibrahim are both members of the Syura Council, which is chaired by PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin. Speculation had emerged that, for the first time, the president and deputy president's posts might be contested at the party elections in September. FMT reported that this may happen if Hadi, who has served as president since 2002, steps down, as urged by some members, because of his health. At the same time, there are rumours that Tuan Ibrahim also intends to make way for new leadership, though there have been calls from the pro-ulama faction for him to defend the party's No. 2 post. As of now, both Hadi and Tuan Ibrahim have not made any decision on defending their positions. The last time the top two posts were contested was in 2015 when Hadi defeated Ahmad Awang for the president's post, and Tuan Ibrahim ousted Mohamad Sabu for the deputy presidency. That election saw a showdown between the pro-ulama and professional factions, resulting in a mass exit of PAS leaders, including Mohamad, Khalid Samad and Dzulkefly Ahmad. They went on to form Amanah, now a component in Pakatan Harapan.
Malay Mail
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
PKR polls: Ramanan makes leadership debut as Amirudin, Aminuddin and Chang retain vice-president posts
JOHOR BARU, May 24 — Three incumbent PKR vice-presidents – Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang – successfully defended their respective posts in yesterday's party elections for the 2025–2028 term. The three were joined by newly elected vice-president, Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Deputy Minister R. Ramanan who made the cut to the party's third highest leadership post. PKR election committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said that out of the four slots, Amirudin polled the highest with 7,955 votes. 'The second highest was Ramanan with 5,895 votes, who was followed closely by Aminuddin with 5,889 votes and Chang with 5,757,' she said shortly after party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, officiated PKR's 2024-2025 National Congress at the Persada International Convention Centre here last night. For the party's central leadership council, Dr Zaliha announced that PKR information chief Datuk Fahmi Fadzil was in the lead after he polled the highest votes. She said the Communications Minister garnered a total of 4,811 votes, the highest out of 20 elected. 'This is followed by outgoing PKR Youth chief Adam Adli Abdul Halim with 4,798 votes and the Prime Minister's political secretary Chan Ming Kai with 4,753 votes. 'Sentosa assemblyman Dr Gunaraj George was tied with Perak PKR secretary Mohd Azlan Helmi with both having 4,699 votes each,' she said. Other notable party leaders who made it to the party's 20-seat central leadership council were deputy minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir, Petaling Jaya assemblyman Lee Chean Chung, former education minister Maszlee Malik, artist Syed Ahmad Abdul Rahman Alhadad (popularly known as Altimet) and Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh. Dr Zaliha later announced Nurul Izzah Anwar as the newly elected party deputy president after she garnered 9,803 votes against incumbent Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli who only managed 3,866 votes. She said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also been officially announced as the uncontested party president in the party's election for the 2025-2028 term. Yesterday's PKR party election saw a total of 251 candidates contesting in various national leadership posts, with 104 nominations for the central leadership council, 85 for PKR Youth posts and 62 for the party's Women's leadership council.
Free Malaysia Today
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Only members of 5 years or more should contest party polls, says Rafizi
PKR delegates with party president Anwar Ibrahim at PKR's national congress in 2023. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has suggested that candidacy for PKR elections be restricted to those who have been with the party for a minimum of five years. Rafizi, who will be defending his deputy presidency this weekend, said such a condition would improve party discipline and ensure loyalty. He said the current system allowed newcomers to jump straight into leadership roles, sometimes with the approval of the party president. 'Sometimes, party members who haven't even been with us for a year are allowed to contest. 'I'm asking for this to be scrapped entirely,' he told the crowd on the campaign trail last night. Also present were PKR vice-presidents Aminuddin Harun and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. Rafizi said members who wanted positions in the party should 'start from the bottom'. 'They should not resign from MIC and, six months later, be allowed to contest a parliamentary seat (in the general election) and subsequently be made a deputy minister,' he said in a veiled swipe at R Ramanan, who is vying for the vice-presidency. 'If they are truly loyal and capable, the party will promote them the right way,' he added. Ramanan, a former MIC treasurer-general, joined PKR in 2020 after quitting the Indian-based party in 2014. The Sungai Buloh MP, who is the deputy entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister, has publicly endorsed Rafizi's competitor, Nurul Izzah Anwar, for the deputy presidency. Rafizi said the growing tension in the party was due to a clash between long-time reformists and those 'who were after posts'. He also claimed that there were efforts to block his path to the top post. 'They don't want me to take over because working with me is not easy,' he said, adding that members would need to follow party principles.
Free Malaysia Today
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Anwar not backing anyone in party polls, says PKR official
PKR deputy secretary-general Dr N Sathia Prakash said 'no one can claim to have the president's support'. PETALING JAYA : There is no endorsement from PKR president Anwar Ibrahim for anyone or any faction taking part in the party elections, says PKR deputy secretary-general Dr N Sathia Prakash. Sathia said certain members had been going around claiming to have Anwar's support when they met division heads and congress delegates behind closed doors. 'If any party member encounters a candidate claiming to be part of the president's 'cai' (list of preferred candidates), don't believe it,' said Sathia, who is among 12 candidates in the contest for one of the four vice-president's posts. 'I want to emphasise that there is no 'cai' in this election. No one can claim to be supported by the party president,' Malaysiakini quoted him as saying. 'There are certain parties trying to use the president's name to take the easy route to fish for votes. That's absolutely untrue,' he was reported to have said. Sathia said it was decided previously that Anwar would not personally back any candidate, which was agreed upon when the PKR central leadership council met recently. Much of the attention in PKR's elections is on the race for the deputy presidency, which is being contested by the incumbent Rafizi Ramli and Anwar's daughter, Nurul Izzah. More than 200 PKR divisions have reportedly stated support for Nurul Izzah, including the Hang Tuah Jaya division led by Anwar's senior political secretary Shamsul Iskandar Akin.
