PAS should take the lead in efforts to unite the Muslim community and set its sights on securing the Prime Minister’s post, said PAS Youth chief for Kedah, Ilyas Ahmad.
He urged the party to stop giving way to other political parties to lead the country, arguing that PAS already has qualified candidates for the top position.
According to Ilyas, the time has come for PAS to position itself as the main political force in shaping Federal leadership.
“We no longer want to hear things like, ‘It’s okay, let someone else become Prime Minister.’ We do not want to hear that anymore.
“This time, we want to ensure PAS becomes the main force at the Federal level,” he said while debating the PAS Youth chief’s policy speech at the PAS Youth Muktamar here on Thursday.
The remarks come after Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said before the Johor state election on July 11 that the three priorities if he became Prime Minister would be the economy, fair education and national security.
Meanwhile, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the party was ready to face the 16th General Election (GE16), including if the election was held earlier than scheduled.
His remarks came after Ahmad Zahid expressed his desire for GE16 to be brought forward to allow the government to obtain a fresh mandate from the people.
Separately, PAS Youth Terengganu delegate Mukhlis Hasin also called for PAS to take the lead in the unity agenda rather than merely playing the role of a follower.
He said the party should not sacrifice its identity or principles simply in the name of maintaining unity.
“Never be afraid to defend our identity merely because we want to preserve unity.
“We should not be afraid to stand up for the truth simply because we want to maintain unity,” he said.
Mukhlis added that PAS Youth’s role was not limited to uniting members at the grassroots level, but also included ensuring the party’s leadership was prepared to make any efforts towards unity a success.
