PAS meet: Even if you have to ride a battered Pajero, service the people, Sanusi tells PAS reps

The national election director of PAS, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, has stated that all elected representatives of the party should not use the excuse of “no allocation” to avoid serving the people. Sanusi emphasized that PAS did not achieve success in past elections solely through party support, but also gained votes from individuals uninterested in political parties. He made these remarks during his closing speech at PAS’ 69th Muktamar event held at the IDCC Convention Centre in Shah Alam on Sunday, October 22.

Sanusi urged elected representatives not to withhold their services by claiming they lack funds to open service centers after being elected. The issue of opposition elected representatives receiving no allocation in states governed by Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional has been a topic of much debate. However, in the Perikatan Nasional states of Kedah, Kelantan, and Perlis, opposition representatives have been provided with an allocation.

Sanusi encouraged elected representatives to serve their constituents regardless of their personal circumstances, stating that even if they only possessed a dilapidated vehicle and needed to sell food at a stall, they should still open service centers and attend to the needs of the people. He reminded PAS of its influential position in national politics as the party with the largest number of seats, emphasizing the need for PAS to adapt to changing voter demographics.

According to Sanusi, PAS must no longer rely solely on traditional party support but must actively engage with voters who are not party members or disinterested in party politics. He believes that if all PAS elected representatives adopt this approach nationwide, PAS could potentially win Perak or Pahang in the next general election. Sanusi also expressed concern about the friction that typically arises between elected representatives’ service centers and local divisions during elections, as this can negatively impact the party’s election machinery.

Khairil Nizam Khirudin, the Central PAS Information Chief, stressed the importance of PAS elected representatives effectively communicating the party’s policies to the public. He noted that some representatives had failed to articulate the party’s ideas and policies after being elected, disappointing their voters. Khairil highlighted the significance of the State Government 4 (SG4) cooperation in the Perikatan-run states of Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, and Terengganu and urged elected representatives to work together with party divisions to ensure that decisions made by the states are effectively communicated to the people.

The 69th Muktamar of PAS, which was attended by 5,000 delegates and observers, concluded on October 22.