PAS ready to fight PBB in Beting Maro in next Sarawak polls

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KUCHING: A local Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) Youth leader says the party is ready to fight Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) in Beting Maro come the 12th Sarawak state election (PRN), which is due to be called by mid-2021.

Sarawak PAS Youth chief Hamdan Sani says his party has been making inroads in Beting Maro since the last state polls in 2016.

PBB’s Razaili Gapor defended the seat with a majority of 1,707 votes in the 11th state election, where he amassed 4,758 votes. Back then, PAS fielded Hamidah Mokhtar who polled 3,051 votes.

Andri Zulkarnaen Hamden of Parti Amanah Negara only received 103 votes.

“The majority of only over 1,000 votes was a signal that the people there rejected PBB,” said Hamdan, feeling that if PAS was not going to contest in Beting Maro in the next state election, those who voted for PAS there would shift their support to the parties other than PBB.

He also cited a study by a group of academicians, which indicated that with the right candidate, PAS might succeed in taking Beting Maro seat away from PBB.

In this regard, he believed that to ensure Beting Maro would not fall into the hands of Perikatan Nasional (PN), PAS must be given the chance to contest.

“The large number of votes attained by PAS in 2016, is reflective of the past and current strength of PAS, which now has 30 branches and over 3,000 loyal voters and supporters,” he said.