By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Jan 19: Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) Sarawak is preparing for a wider contest in the next Sarawak State Election, signalling it may field non-Muslim candidates and expand beyond its previous single-seat outing in Beting Maro.
PAS Sarawak commissioner Mohammad Arififiriazul Paijo said the party has strengthened its machinery and identified potential candidates across several constituencies.
“PAS Sarawak is ready for the State Election in terms of party machinery and will contest more than one seat,” he said in a statement, following a press conference in Sibu yesterday (Jan 18).
He noted that while the party intends to retain Beting Maro, where it believes it has strong support, the other constituencies it plans to contest will be announced in due course.
Arififiriazul added that some of the shortlisted candidates may be non-Muslims, though the final lineup has yet to be confirmed.
He explained that PAS Sarawak’s non-Muslim supporters are organised under the Dewan Himpunan Penyokong PAS, whose membership status was recently elevated to the same level as other PAS members following the latest PAS Central Muktamar (the party’s annual congress).
PAS Sarawak currently operates through 11 areas with registered branches aligned to parliamentary constituencies, supported by a Statewide membership estimated at between 8,000 and 10,000. More than 1,000 of these members are non-Muslims.
PAS Sarawak has a long history of contesting the Beting Maro state seat. The party first fielded candidates there in 2001 and has consistently finished as the runner-up, gradually building support despite never capturing the seat.
In the 2011 State Election, PAS candidate Abang Ahmad Kerdee Abang Masagus received 2,678 votes, just 361 votes short of the winner, Razaili Gapor of Barisan Nasional (BN)‑Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), who garnered 3,069 votes.
The party’s support grew further in 2016, when it recorded its highest vote tally of 3,051 votes, while Razaili Gapor, now under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), retained the seat with 4,293 votes.
In the most recent 2021 State Election, PAS candidate Mohammad Arififiriazul Paijo finished second with 2,058 votes in a five‑cornered contest, behind Razaili Gapor who retained the seat with 3,769 votes. – DayakDaily
