PETALING JAYA: PAS members have been ordered not to comment publicly on internal party matters, particularly on candidate selection, ahead of the state elections on Aug 12, says Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
“PAS strictly prohibits all members from making any public statement regarding the party’s internal matters in any form, be it via the media or video or audio.
“This includes statements that are linked to matters related to election candidates,” the PAS secretary-general said in a statement yesterday.
The stern reminder by Takiyuddin comes in the wake of dissatisfaction among PAS supporters, particularly over the surprise selection of Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau as the Perikatan Nasional candidate for the Bayan Lepas state seat in Penang.
The seat, which comprises about 64% Malay voters, is traditionally contested by PAS with Penang PAS secretary Iszuree Ibrahim expected to have been fielded.
It was reported that there were only about 100 people comprising Gerakan and Bersatu members when Lau filed his nomination centre on Saturday.
Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu has since admitted that there had been some dispute over the decision to nominate Lau for the seat.
He also said Lau’s candidacy would not have a negative impact on the majority Malay support for Perikatan in Bayan Lepas.
Meanwhile, Takiyuddin warned members that making statements detrimental to PAS or Perikatan would lead to disciplinary action against them.
“Questions or disputes over the party’s internal matters, if any, have to be brought and resolved within party channels,” he said.
He reminded party members that the selection of candidates was done properly and went through the party’s Syura Council, central committee and election department.
He also denied that candidate selection was done through demands, pressure or influence from certain quarters.
Prior to his nomination, Lau rubbished claims by disgruntled PAS grassroots members that he had resorted to “pulling cables” to land the nomination.
