Islamic party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) president Abdul Hadi Awang told Langkawi voters on Tuesday (May 1) to refrain from voting for opposition coalition leader Mahathir Mohamad, and to “let him rest”.
Speaking at a political rally in front of more than 1,000 PAS supporters in Kuah, Langkawi, the veteran politician said: “Now he’s in old age … his time is up. It’s not the time for him to fight.
“I urge the people of Langkawi to please don’t vote him as your parliament representative. Let him rest, he’s very old. It’s not the right time for him to be prime minister. That time has passed, and he can’t change that,” said Mr Abdul Hadi.
The party leader was in Langkawi to lend support to PAS’ Langkawi candidate Zubir Ahmad, who is in a three-cornered battle against Dr Mahathir and ruling coalition Barisan Nasional’s candidate Nawawi Ahmad for the seat.
Dr Mahathir is the favourite to clinch the seat but Mr Abdul Hadi said that “it’s not impossible” for PAS to beat him. In a fiery speech, he recalled how Dr Mahathir lost to PAS candidate Yusof Rawa in 1969, for the federal constituency of Kota Setar Selatan in Kedah, to laughs from the crowd.
“He has lost to us before, it’s not impossible that he’ll lose in Langkawi. In 1969 he was still young and strong … now he’s much older and more tired,” he said.
PAS supporter Mohd Yunus Sidek told Channel NewsAsia that many voters in Langkawi want to end Dr Mahathir’s quest to become prime minister in the upcoming polls.
“He was a good leader when he was prime minister, both to Malaysia and Kedah, but he’s finished now. We will vote him out right here in Langkawi,” added the 42-year-old.
Another PAS supporter Muhammad Idrus Jumat said: “Mahathir can’t seem to unite his own party. How is he going to govern this country?”
PAS is contesting 160 parliamentary seats in Malaysia’s 14th general election, including all the seats in the northern states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis.
Mr Abdul Hadi said that if PAS wins 112 seats, and earn the simple majority needed to form a government, PAS “can administer the Islamic agenda that we’ve always dreamt of”.Source: CNA/am(cy)
