Kota Tinggi PAS names Husam Musa for party presidency

PAS's Kota Tinggi division has nominated vice-president Datuk Husam Musa for the party presidency, just days after Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man rejected his own nomination and threw his support behind incumbent Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

A PAS leader from Johor confirmed this when contacted by The Malaysian Insider.

"It's confirmed," he said briefly, when asked if Kota Tinggi PAS had nominated Husam for the top post in the party during the division's general meeting today.

A statement by the Kota Tinggi PAS division late tonight confirmed that the meeting had unanimously agreed that Husam contest the president's post.

Meanwhile, Parit Sulong PAS is expected to name another challenger once its committee convenes next week.

If Parit Sulong PAS goes ahead with its plan, this means Hadi has failed to gain the support of the first three PAS divisions to hold their general meeting this year.

The move to sideline Hadi begins as the Islamist party faces its worst turmoil since 1982, when PAS overthrew its the then president Tan Sri Asri Muda.

Parit Sulong PAS chief Khairudin Abdul Rahim told The Malaysian Insider that the division in its general meeting had given the newly-elected committee the mandate to nominate a candidate for the ‎presidency.

"I believe we will nominate another leader, but we want one who will actually contest and not withdraw after being nominated," said Khairuddin, in an apparent reference to Tuan Ibrahim.

But he was not able to confirm who they were eyeing, ‎adding that he would discuss this with PAS Kota Tinggi.

Parit Sulong and Kota Tinggi were the second and third ‎PAS divisions to hold their general meeting, after Kota Baru convened earlier and nominated Tuan Ibrahim for the top post last week.

Kota Baru PAS said Tuan Ibrahim's nomination would appease warring factions within PAS and unite the party, which is currently split between those who want to continue political cooperation with Pakatan Rakyat and clerics who want PAS to chart its own path.

Kota Baru PAS chief, Datuk Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah, said Tuan Ibrahim had been nominated because he was from the ulama group and was also liked by Hadi.‎

‎But the party vice-president declined the nomination, saying that he was not worthy to take on his leader.

Tuan Ibrahim said the "unprecedented" challenge for the top post was not good for party unity, and instead pledged full support for Hadi.

He said the presidency had never been challenged throughout the history of PAS, especially during the era of the ulama (clerics).

But Wan Rahim said Tuan Ibrahim's decision not to contest has opened the doors for other leaders to take on Hadi in the party polls in June.

‎"I understand that at least 15 divisions in Johor will nominate other candidates to become the PAS president," Wan Rahim told The Malaysian Insider on Wednesday.

‎PAS will hold its party elections during its muktamar, or general assembly, this June in Shah Alam, against a backdrop of infighting and disputes over whether it should remain with the opposition coalition.

Grassroots leaders are searching for a new president who can unite the party, following criticism that Hadi was not acting as a president for all within PAS.

‎In his winding-up speech during the PAS muktamar last year, Hadi urged those who disagreed with him to leave the party.‎

He had described his detractors as imam who should leave to start their own mosques where they could lead the prayers. – March 14, 2015.