PAS eyes contesting more seats in next Sarawak polls

SIBU (Jan 18): Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) Sarawak is targeting to contest more than one seat in the coming state election, said its state commissioner Mohammad Arififiriazul Paijo.

He said the target aligned with efforts to strengthen party machinery and restructure strategies in preparation for the state election, which is expected to be held before February 2027.

“In the 2021 state election, PAS contested only one seat, namely Beting Maro. However, in 2011, we contested five seats and in 2016, 11 seats.

“Therefore, in the next election, PAS Sarawak is very likely to contest more than one seat,” he said during a press conference after the PAS Sarawak 2026 retreat programme here yesterday.

He said PAS Sarawak had shortlisted several candidates for each state constituency, including non-Muslim candidates, but final decisions have not been made.

“PAS Sarawak has Dewan Kumpulan Pendukung PAS that brings together non-Muslim members. In fact, the PAS Muktamar has approved a motion to recognise members of the Dewan Kumpulan Pendukung PAS as equal to other PAS members.

“In Sarawak, members of the Dewan Kumpulan Pendukung PAS are active in areas such as Bintulu, Kuching and Batang Lupar. Therefore, there is a possibility that non-Muslim candidates may be put forward but the final decision has not yet been made,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said PAS Sarawak currently has 11 areas representing 11 parliamentary constituencies with registered branches at the state level.

He added that PAS Sarawak also emphasised its role as a check-and-balance mechanism to both the state and federal governments.

“Although PAS at the Sarawak state level does not yet have any state seats but we have representation in the parliament through our partner in Perikatan Nasional (PN) Ali Biju. However, we believe that in a democratic system every citizen has the right to act as a check and balance on the government,” he said.

On PAS membership, Mohammad Arififiriazul said they had between 8,000 and 10,000 members statewide, including more than 1,000 non-Muslim members from various ethnic groups such as Chinese, Iban and Bidayuh.

On the retreat programme, he said it was attended by about 120 PAS members and it was held in Sibu due to its strategic location in central Sarawak.

Among the main objectives were to strengthen PAS Sarawak’s strategic direction, enhance election preparedness, and reinforce the party organisation to improve services to the people, he said.

Also present were PAS Sarawak deputy commissioners Rashidi Harun, Zulikipli Ramzi and Zharudin Narudin.