PAS No 2 plays down need for Melaka poster boy

PAS has played down the need to name a poster boy for the Melaka state election, with deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man saying the chief minister should come from the party that wins the most seats.

Tuan Ibrahim said PAS was focused on securing the people’s mandate, Utusan Malaysia reported.

He said the issue of a poster boy was sometimes “deliberately turned into a polemic”, and that leaders should be chosen based on ability and suitability rather than popularity.

“For example, who knew (Terengganu menteri besar) Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar before this? Likewise in Kedah, who knew (Kedah menteri besar) Sanusi Nor?

“Their names were not well known before. This shows that choosing a leader must be based on the individual’s ability and suitability, not merely popularity,” he was quoted as saying.

When asked if PAS would accept a poster boy candidate from another party, Tuan Ibrahim said the matter would be discussed with the parties it works with.

“Whether there will be a poster boy for the Melaka polls will be discussed and decided by the party based on a joint decision.

“For now, our priority is the manifesto, not the question of the poster boy,” he said.

The Election Commission has fixed Nov 14 as polling day, with nomination on Oct 31 and early voting on Nov 10.

All 28 seats in the state assembly are up for grabs. In the 2021 election, Barisan Nasional won 21 seats while Pakatan Harapan took five and Perikatan Nasional two.