MARANG: PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang has claimed that more Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have expressed interest in becoming Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidates in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Abdul Hadi said PN was still processing their applications and would announce it on nomination day this Saturday.

"Can't say how many seats. Most importantly the seats are in the north, central, and south," he said in a press conference after the Terengganu PAS candidate announcement ceremony in Rusila here, last night.

Asked about the announcement by Federal Territories Minister and incumbent Arau Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim who wished to defend the seat on a PN ticket, Abdul Hadi said Shahidan had been with PAS since he was in Parliament and was brave enough to criticise the UMNO leadership.

Besides Shahidan, Housing and Local Government deputy minister Datuk Seri Ismail Abdul Mutalib will defend the Maran parliamentary seat as a PN candidate.


Shahidan and Ismail are among the ministers and deputy ministers in the BN Cabinet under the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob who were dropped from contesting in the GE15.

Abdul Hadi said PAS and PN leadership had unanimously agreed with the decision to field candidates from BN on the PN ticket, adding that PN candidates who were initially listed had also stepped back voluntarily to make way for the new candidates.

-- BERNAMA