State polls: Sanusi remains as Pas candidate - Tuan Ibrahim
KUALA TERENGGANU - The Pas' Ulama Syura Council has decided that caretaker Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor will be retained as the party's candidate in the upcoming state election.
Pas deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the decision to retain Sanusi was concluded in a meeting held on Wednesday afternoon.
He said this was because the central Pas election director had not been disqualified from contesting and was only charged in court.
"We have decided that he (Sanusi) will be retained as the first choice (candidate). There is no problem because his case will be up (for mention) in October.
"So far we have not placed any conditions on him because, from what we have seen, the charges against him are more in the nature of an effort to challenge his (position). We will see how the prosecution process against him will be later," he said.
Tuan Ibrahim said this during a press conference after attending the Ladang State Legislative Assembly (DUN) election talk on Wednesday night.
He said Pas was also prepared to face any possibilities regarding the decision made by the court after the Sanusi's trial process.
"We are ready for anything that will happen because the decision takes a long time. We will wait for his trial and decision first and only after that will the party make a decision.
"The accusations against him (Sanusi) are more of an effort to suppress. I just want to say he is considered insulting the Sultan, but I have repeatedly heard it (the speech) and there is no mention of (insulting) the Selangor royal institution.
"Personally, if there is a mistake in his speech, there may not be any restrictions on him and he knows better what he needs to say and so on," he said.
In the same development, Tuan Ibrahim said the issue affecting Sanusi has increased the people's support for Perikatan Nasional (PN) and gained sympathy including from Umno members themselves.
"I see that the anger and frustration of the people are very high, especially when he was arrested at 3am even though he had already decided to appear in court.
"He is the menteri besar. He is not an ordinary member, he is a leader, the head of the state and he said that he would appear in court. Suddenly at 3am his room was raided, he was arrested and that caused anger (among the people).
"Whatever the issue is, we leave it to the court to make a decision. InsyaAllah, we hope for justice for him," he said.
On Tuesday, Sanusi who is also the Kedah PN chairman was charged in the Selayang Sessions Court with two counts of sedition.
He was charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act with uttering seditious remarks touching on the appointment of the Selangor Menteri Besar and the establishment of the unity government in a political talk, last week.
