PAS' 61st annual muktamar begins today

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang is expected to deliver his keynote address and launch the congress in the morning, while the election process would be held in the afternoon.

The congress from today until Saturday is held at the Kuala Selangor Indoor Stadium here.

PAS' 1,057 delegates will be choosing their new president, deputy president, three vice presidents and central committee members.

Abdul Hadi is bidding to retain his position against past vice president Ahmad Awang while incumbent Mohamad Sabu is up against vice president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man for the deputy president's post.

Two incumbents, Datuk Husam Musa and Salahuddin Ayub are seeking another term as vice presidents.

Four others in the race are Kelantan deputy commissioner I, Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, PAS Information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar, Central Committee member Idris Ahmad and PAS Selangor commissioner Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad.

Fifty-five candidates are bidding for a seat in the central committee.

In its congress this year, PAS is expected to decide whether to leave or remain in Pakatan Rakyat.

It remains a question as well, whether DAP will be at the congress after its conflict with PAS over the issue of hudud.

Meanwhile, DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke Siew Fook was reported to have confirmed on Tuesday that the party would not attend the opening of PAS' annual congress.

DAP had allegedly threatened to shut out Abdul Hadi over the hudud but indicated that they wished to maintain communication with PAS.

The gap between the two parties is seen to widen following PAS' Ulama wing to unanimously pass an emergency motion at its just concluded congress to sever tahaluf siyasi (political cooperation) with DAP.