State polls: PAS says unable to help Gerakan’s Lau campaign due to lacking resources

GEORGE TOWN: The lack of resources seems to be the reason that PAS has not been able to assist Gerakan president Dominic Lau in his campaigning.

Lau – who is contesting in the Bayan Lepas state seat – has been seen without machinery from PAS during his campaigning.

State PAS commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff said that they are unable to assist the Bayan Lepas candidate due to the lack of resources.

He maintained that they were not boycotting Lau’s election campaign in any way.

“Right now, every candidate needs to bring their own machinery with them. Lau has to bring his own people as well. We do not have enough (members to help campaign).

“In fact, our election machinery in certain areas needs help as well. Those contesting need to lead their own machinery,” he told Malay-language news portal Utusan Malaysia on Saturday (Aug 5).

Muhammad Fauzi said that Penang PAS will clear up the matter and strengthen ties with Gerakan by explaining the issue of Lau’s candidacy in Bayan Lepas to its grassroots.

It was earlier reported that the PAS grassroots were threatening to boycott the polls after Lau was named to contest in the Malay-majority Bayan Lepas state seat.

Local PAS leaders said the party had been doing the groundwork there for years and would not accept Lau, whom they claim is a “parachute” candidate.

On Aug 1, Lau was not welcomed at a PAS ceramah in Sungai Dua, Penang and at one point, he was told by Penang PAS secretary Iszuree Ibrahim to “go away”.

PAS has since apologised for the incident.

Iszuree was earlier said to be fielded for the Bayan Lepas state seat.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said as the leader of a Perikatan component party and candidate in the state election, Lau should be accorded adequate respect.

He (Takiyuddin) apologised to Lau on behalf of the party leadership and urged party members to accept Lau’s candidacy for Bayan Lepas.

Lau is contesting in the Bayan Lepas state seat under the Perikatan ticket against incumbent Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Aziz from Pakatan Harapan.