A walking stick belonging to PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang was auctioned for RM16,500 during the PAS Melaka charity dinner at a hotel on Sunday night.
Made from kemuning wood and bearing Abdul Hadi’s initials, TGHH, the walking stick had an opening bid of RM2,500 before the price steadily climbed during the auction.
The auction was held as part of efforts to raise contributions for the party’s fund ahead of the upcoming Melaka state election, with the item eventually going to Datuk Muhamad Muqharabbin Mokhtarrudin.
Abdul Hadi personally handed the walking stick to Muhamad Muqharabbin after the successful bid, turning the fundraising exercise into one of the evening’s notable moments.
Muhamad Muqharabbin is a former young Everest climber who made history as the youngest climber from Southeast Asia to reach the summit. His political journey has also seen him move between several parties.
Before joining PAS, he previously served as Lembah Pantai UMNO Youth chief and as an executive committee member of UMNO Youth Malaysia. He later joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
He subsequently stepped down as Bersatu’s Lembah Pantai division chief before joining PAS, initially as an ordinary member.
Around two months ago, Muhamad Muqharabbin was appointed to the PAS Lembah Pantai division committee, marking another step in his involvement with the Islamist party.
The RM16,500 auction also comes amid growing attention on fundraising activities by political parties as preparations intensify for the Melaka state election. Such charity auctions are often used by parties to rally financial support while also attracting public attention to their political campaigns.
