SHAH ALAM: PAS Youth has rebuked critics who claimed that the party doesn’t know how to govern a state and said that it is unfair to compare them with Umno.
Newly appointed PAS Youth Chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden said although the Kedah government comes under PAS rule, one can wear shorts in the state.
"Who said you cannot wear shorts in Kedah? Come to Alor Setar and you will see many wearing shorts riding their bikes. Do not say that PAS does not know how to govern a state," said Afnan, who is also the Alor Setar MP.
Afnan said this at a ceramah on the sidelines during the PAS' 69th Muktamar at the IDCC Convention Centre here on Saturday (Oct 21).
He said that PAS leaders know their roles when they govern, while alleging that the current Cabinet ministers in the Unity Government are confused about their portfolios.
"The Tourism Minister acts as if he in charge of immigration, the Minister in charge of the internet thinks he is in charge of the police and threatens to arrest the public if they talk about the 3R (religion, race and royalty) whereas the Minister in charge of the police seem to be busy with (Kedah Mentri Besar) Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor. Are they all confused as to what their ministerial roles are?" asked Afnan.
Last June, Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing stepped in to deal with an immigration issue following a commotion at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport involving a Chinese tourist.
At the same ceramah session, Afnan also said that it is unfair to compare PAS with Umno.
Afnan said that it is wrong to compare PAS retaining its top party leaders to the no-contest ruling of Umno for the president's post.
"It is not fair to compare PAS as a party which does not allow its top positions to be contested. The party never made such a ruling. The top five won uncontested when all PAS divisions nominated the incumbents for the posts of president and deputy president.
"As for the three vice-president posts, four names were proposed but the candidate retracted his candidacy, leaving the three incumbents.
"So, how can one compare us to Umno which made a ruling that the post of party president (held by Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) should not be contested?" said Afnan.
He further stated that in the most recent general elections and state elections, PAS won big unlike Umno.
"PAS has the biggest number of seats in the Dewan Rakyat. Umno lost most of their seats. In the state elections, Umno lost big time whereas PAS won big time.
“Umno won only two state seats in Kedah, in Terengganu they won none and in Kelantan, they only won one," said Afnan.
