Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor is widely expected to turn down delegates’ nominations for him to contest the PAS vice-presidency next month, according to a source.
It is understood that candidates with sufficient nominations from delegates must confirm whether they will throw their hats in the ring with the PAS election committee before 5pm today.
A source close to Sanusi said the two-term menteri besar might opt to vie only for a spot on the PAS central leadership committee, as he had two years ago, gathering the highest number of votes.
The source said Sanusi did not want to challenge the three incumbents – Idris Ahmad, Amar Abdullah and Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar – as they had done well as party veeps.
“He may also want to focus on his duties as menteri besar to develop Kedah. Maybe he’ll contest the vice-presidency a few years from now,” the source told FMT.
FMT has reached out to Sanusi for confirmation.
The PAS election committee had announced that there were four candidates eligible to contest the party’s vice-presidents’ posts: Sanusi, Samsuri, Idris and Amar.
Sanusi, the Islamic party’s election director, has garnered a huge following in PAS, with its spiritual leader Hashim Jasin also expressing support for the Jeneri assemblyman’s nomination.
However, Sanusi said last month that he was not ready to take up the post as there were others more qualified for the role.
He had also declined to contest the PAS vice-presidency at the party’s last internal polls in 2023.
Separately, PAS Youth information chief Khairul Nadzir Helmi Azhar said it would come as no surprise if Sanusi opted out of the vice-presidency race as the Islamic party’s leaders and members did not chase after positions or personal agendas.
Instead, he said, they were focused on ensuring the party’s success.
“Perhaps it’s the right decision for Sanusi. In fact, I believe that other leaders would do the same because they respect the leadership and want the party to succeed,” he said.
