Pas Youth disappointed over lack of young candidates fielded in previous polls

SHAH ALAM - Pas Youth has expressed it’s disappointment with the party's decision to field only a few young candidates in the recent state elections.

Its chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, claimed that this was despite the fact that the wing had shown strong support for the party and Perikatan Nasional in the previous 15th General Election.

"Youth once again urge the party leadership to seriously provide space and opportunities for young talents to come forward and contribute to victory.

"If we discuss it in the context of the state youth chiefs, only one contested in the Kota Anggerik seat in Selangor, while the five other states did not field any youth chiefs for various reasons and factors," Fadhli said in his keynote address in officiating Pas Youth’s 64th Muktamar, here, last night.

He was referring to previous Aug 12 state polls in Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Kelantan, Terengganu and Negeri Sembilan.

Meanwhile, Fadhli stated that Pas has become a strong mainstream party, not only rooted in Islam but also as a core party for the Malay community.

However, he acknowledged that the acceptance of non-Malay voters towards Pas's ideas and approaches still needs improvement.

"The tactic of frightening non-Malay citizens with issues of race and religion is still being used to widen the gap.

“Nonetheless, the youth must not lose hope and must embrace the task of ensuring that non-Malay fence-sitters understand the mature and prosperous politics that Pas is advocating," he said.

He said that Pas has always been a party that practiced mature and prosperous politics without sidelining non-Malays when they appointed a Gerakan assemblyman as one of the exco members in Kedah, even though the party only won one seat.

"In addition, Pas also appointed non-Malay senators and another non-Malay as the special officer to the Kedah Menteri Besar," he said.