PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has defended Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
He countered claims that Perikatan Nasional would weaken under the Terengganu menteri besar’s leadership.
Personal View, Not Party Line
Tuan Ibrahim dismissed suggestions that PAS risks losing up to 37 parliamentary seats.
The remark came from Sungai Buloh PAS chief Zaharudin Muhammad, son-in-law of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.
“I think that is his personal opinion and detached from reality,” Tuan Ibrahim told Berita Harian.
Proven Track Record
Tuan Ibrahim highlighted Samsuri’s strong performance leading Terengganu government and PAS state chapter.
He pointed to PAS’s clean sweep of all parliamentary and state seats in Terengganu.
“That’s an extraordinary achievement. Claiming PAS would decline under Samsuri’s PN leadership defies facts,” he said.
Freedom to Speak
Tuan Ibrahim allowed that Zaharudin could voice his opinions freely.
Zaharudin had warned against nominating PAS vice-president Samsuri as PN chairman.
This follows Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation on January 1.
He argued Samsuri’s leadership would harm PAS and Malaysia.
Instead, Zaharudin proposed Tuan Ibrahim as PN chairman and the coalition’s prime minister candidate for the 16th general election.
