PAS veep: Pakatan troubles won’t affect by-election

Pakatan Rakyat’s troubles in Penang and Kedah will not have any effect on the campaigning for the Manek Urai by-election, says PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar.

Mahfuz said the presence of senior DAP leaders such as Teresa Kok and Liew Chin Tong was proof that the alliance was still stable despite the fracture in relations in Penang and Kedah.

“We are treating the differences between us as a learning curve. The lessons learnt will stand us in good stead,” he said.

Pakatan leaders were now looking at the long-term strategic partnership, Mahfuz said at the by-election’s nomination centre in SMK Sultan Yahya Petra I yesterday.

In a related development, state PAS strategist Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah said the party would have only two major ceramah before polling on July 14.

The first today will see Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and his protege Datuk Husam Musa addressing the crowd.

The second, on July 12, will include the same leaders, along with either DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang or his son, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Wan Abdul Rahim said Kelantan PAS would focus on more house-to-house campaigning and smaller ceramah to woo support.

He added that in a rural constituency, the personal touch was important.

The Star