Yesterday, Syura Ulama Council of PAS announced Dato Dr Haron Din as the new Spiritual Leader or Mursyidul Am of PAS to replace the deceased Dato Nik Aziz Nik Mat.
That announcement frustrated the PASMA faction. MyKMU writer Mc T [read in FMT here] believed PASMA wanted Dato Hadi Awang to be selected thus paving the way for an easy passage for Mat Sabu.
Today's Sinar Harian frontpage headlined Hadi said, "Jawatan Presiden boleh dicabar. Saya serah kepada ahli untuk pilih pemimpin yang layak ... kita tengok nanti macam mana." [The President post could be challenged. I leave it to the member to choose the qualified candidate ... we see what will happen.]
That could be a typical politically correct statement by any politician, but the manner Hadi said "...we will see what will happen" indicate his intention.
With Haron Din as Mursyidul Am and Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man running for number two, it could mean Hadi is daring Mat Sabu to run for President.
Tuan Ibrahim announced his interest upon attempt by PAS Kota Baru to attempt to tempt him by nominating Tuan Ibrahim for President. At this stage, there is usually lots of testing of the water but this time around cards seemed to be laid out early in the game.
PAS Terengganu criticised PAS Kota Baru water testing as attempt to invoke a provocation. At the recent Multaqa, Tuan Ibrahim came on strongly to criticise UMNO for dreaming of a unity Government.
The Multaqa at the end of February saw at all out attack by the Ulamak faction on attempts to topple Hadi as President following aggresive attack by PASMA and DAP towards Hadi.
It is an open secret that PASMA had pledge loyalty to DAP and Pakatan Rakyat in an official visit to Lim Guan Eng's office in mid-January. It was believed that DAP had given commitment to provide financial assistance to the PASMA movement to unseat Hadi.
PASMA have been on a roadshow and a video had gone viral of Mat Sabu instructing PASMA or used to be refered as Anwarinas activist to go on a direct person to person engagement to break the strong traditional Ulamak support at grassroot level.
That video had brought calls for Mat Sabu to be disciplined. However, that will not be easy as the Anwarinas controlled Central Commitee may resist. Talk is the Anwarinas have placed someone from their faction to administer the PAS party election proccess.
But, the important position of Secretary General as in Dato Mustapha Ali is still held by the Ulamak faction. It is heard that Mat Sabu have met Mustapha privately in London to resolve his problem.
The objective of PASMA is clearly to remove Hadi and promote Mat Sabu as PAS President. Will Mat Sabu commit to do so?
Mat Sabu is a fighter and in the previous party fights for Deputy President, the Dato Husam Musa team tried to persuade Mat Sabu to withdraw and not split the vote. However, his answer then was, "I rather die on the battlefield then withdraw."
He lost the first time to Dr Nasharuddin Mat Isa but end up winner the second time with Tuan Ibrahim's help to split Nasharuddin's Hadi coat-tailed votes.
Mat Sabu defended the Deputy President post in the last Muktamar but with the line between the Ulamak and Anwarinas clearly drawn, Tuan Ibrahim has PAS tradition for "kepimpinan ulamak" blowing in his favour.
So, will Mat Sabu move up and chose to die on a higher battlefied?
The PASMA group have been controlling the Central Committee, Muslimah and part of Youth but it is their control of the Divisional Committee that will come in handy. It is said that 60-70% of Divisions are controlling by the Erdogans, another name the PASMA and Anwarinas is called by.
They have influence and not to mention, opportunity to fix the next Divisional Committe line up and comes in handy in the process to determine delegates to chose the party leadershp at the Muktamar.
The Ulamak faction seemed short of brand named leaders for Vice President and Central Committee positions but in a party election, the public acknowledgement is not relevent.
nevertheless, one can aspect the Ulamak to forward MB Kelantan Dato Ahmad Yaacob, Deputy MB for Kelantan Dato Nik Amar, and Ustaz Idris Ahmad for Vice President candidate.
Nik Aziz's son, Nik Abduh is still a long shot for Vice President post and need to spend time as Central Committee. Positions in PAS are not inherited down as in UMNO. Off springs of past leaders still need to prove their mantle.
One will expect incumbents like PASMA-linked Dato Husam Musa, and neither here nor there Salahuddin Ayub to defend their position. Hello! Hello! Hello! Past VP Dato Mahfuz Omar is expected to try again.
As one PAS activist told us, the process is similar to past UMNO party eleection style and at the early stage, there is lots of testing of the water and manouvring going on. Although there are claims that PAS has emulated UMNO's money politics, it is not widespread.
The outright corruption will be as each candidate will seek member's prayers (or doa) and everyone seemed obliged to pray for each other's success but in those words of support lies the coded words.
Whatever that politicians do to gain votes, the interest now will be on whether Mat Sabu still has the guts that won him to assume the Deputy Presidency to run against the President and break the Ulamak leadership at a time the Ulamak faction has sharpened their claws.
Look to the 18th when the Kelantan State Assembly convene to discuss hudud and an end of the month international forum in Rusila for hints of what is to come [read about in Joceline Tan's here and here]