PAS hopes for a historic win in Putrajaya

PAS vice president Husam Musa’s wish to run against UMNO secretary general Tengku Adnan Mansor in the Putrajaya parliamentary seat may not be fulfilled after all.

Immediately after Husam was announced as PAS's candidate, Adnan, the incumbent, had boasted that BN would win the seat again with a two-third majority. But according to sources, Adnan will not be re-nominated following a police report filed against him, alleging that he assaulted a local UMNO leader who had come to meet him.

Insiders have even speculated that former UMNO strongman Dr Mahathir Mohamad could be fielded as the BN candidate Putrajaya, seen as one of the safest federal seats for BN.

While others say that Zaki Zahid, close friend of UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, could also be running as BN's candidate. Zaki previously served at the Prime Minister's Office under Khairy's father-in-law, Abdullah Badawi, who was forced to resign in 2009.

Meanwhile, Nazri Deraman, who leads the Kelantan-based movement for oil royalty, 'R', said Mahathir was concerned that Putrajaya which is considered part of his legacy could fall into the hands of the opposition.

Nazri recalled the words of the late PAS president Fadzil Noor who said he wished Mahathir would live long enough to see the consequences of his policies, and Husam's victory in Putrajaya will serve as an apt symbol.

“Insha Allah, we believe the people of Putrajaya and Malaysia cannot wait to see the the fiercest election in Malaysia, especially in Putrajaya, come GE 13,” Nazri said.

“R fully supports Husam’s candidacy in Putrajaya and will direct the whole of its machinery towards assisting the campaign there."