Follow our lead, appoint non-Muslims ADUNs as state exco members – Kedah Pas urges

SHAH ALAM – If Pas is genuine in its mission to transform Perikatan Nasional (PN) into a diverse multiracial coalition and attract not just votes but also the trust of the non-Malays, the Islamist party should learn from Kedah Pas’ playbook.

This was so, said Pas Kedah delegate Professor Dr Mohd Suffian Yusoff, due to Kedah PN’s unprecedented achievement in capturing a DAP state seat in the Aug 12 Kedah polls – a loss in which the predominantly Chinese party had never experienced before.

“Of all the seats that it has in Malaysia, the seat of Derga is the only one state seat that DAP had lost its grip on,” Suffian highlighted the electoral victory of PN’s Muhammad Amri Wahab against DAP’s Tok Kok Yiew, who is also Kedah DAP chief.

To the unfamiliar, despite having 61 per cent of Malay voters there, Derga has a relatively considerable percentage of Chinese voters as well, at 33 per cent. Historically, its elected representative had always been Chinese.

On top of Kedah PN’s victory in Derga, Suffian also implored other Pas-controlled state governments to appoint non-Muslims in their respective state excos, as Kedah had done to truly embody PN’s multiracial mission.

“Kedah has appointed its sole Gerakan assemblyman of Kulim (Wong Chia Zen) into the Kedah state exco. This is true spirit of PN. I beseech other Pas state governments to emulate what Pas Kedah did.

“The racial composition in Kedah is very similar to that of Malaysia’s. If we do it right, what happens in Kedah may also happen at the Federal level. This is how we can ensure PN really exists,” said Suffian during the debate session at the 69th Pas Muktamar, here, today.

Yesterday, in his presidential address, Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang stressed upon the crucial need for Pas to woo the non-Muslims, saying that it was vital for the Islamist party to do so to up its victory chances in the next 16th General Election.