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THE Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) will not name a candidate for prime minister until the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition is granted the mandate to govern, its spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin has said, amid growing calls for the opposition to offer a clear alternative to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership.
“There is no need for a ‘poster boy’ now,” Hashim told Utusan Malaysia. “For now, we are not naming anyone. Once we have the mandate, we will choose a leader who can carry out the responsibility.”
Dismissing any suggestion of a leadership vacuum, Hashim said PAS has no shortage of capable figures drawn from both professional and religious ranks who are prepared to lead.
He cited the example of the late Tan Sri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, whose appointment as Kelantan Menteri Besar in 1990 initially drew scepticism but ultimately delivered over two decades of steady governance.
“People doubted Nik Aziz when we first took over Kelantan, but he led the state government for over 22 years, bringing stability, good governance and meaningful reforms guided by Islamic values,” said Hashim.
He noted that a similar approach would be applied at the national level should PN be entrusted with federal power.
“We may not have a visible candidate now, but if given power, we will present someone suitable and govern better than the current administration,” he said.
Hashim’s remarks follow criticism directed at the opposition bloc after last weekend’s “Himpunan Turun Anwar” rally, where participants called for the resignation of the prime minister.
The opposition has since faced mounting pressure to name a viable replacement for Anwar if it intends to push for a change in leadership. Anwar, in response, has challenged the opposition to seek redress through parliamentary means rather than street demonstrations.
“If you are serious, table a vote of no confidence in the Dewan Rakyat,” the Prime Minister said, noting that opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin had repeatedly raised the matter without initiating formal proceedings. - July 29, 2025