Johor PAS dismisses claims it will give way to BN in state election, says party will contest state polls

JOHOR BAHRU, May 21 — Johor PAS today clarified that it is prepared to contest in the coming state election, contrary to a social media post claiming that it will withdraw to make way for Barisan Nasional (BN).

Johor PAS information chief Mohd Firdaus Jaffar said the viral social media post was made by irresponsible parties to create a negative perception and weaken the party’s machinery.

He clarified that there was no such instruction from the PAS leadership to withdraw from the coming state polls.

“In fact, both PAS and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) leadership have repeatedly stressed that the machinery in Johor is prepared to face the state election at any time,” he said on his official Facebook page today.

Mohd Firdaus was responding to recent social media claims saying Johor PAS is prepared to fully give way to BN’s linchpin Umno to contest in the coming state elections.

The claims have since triggered rumours among grassroots supporters that pointed to secret negotiations between the two largest Malay-Muslim parties.

The rumours also triggered scenarios suggesting that the Islamist party’s withdrawal was part of the political cooperation for BN and Umno to secure Johor.

Following that, the cooperation was believed to be linked to Johor’s recent controversial appointment of unelected state assemblymen, where PAS would allegedly be rewarded with posts for participation in the state administration.

Despite the rumours, he said Johor PAS was not easily manipulated by such misleading political perceptions.

He also called on all PAS members not to be easily influenced and to remain focused on the ground.