PAS Election Director and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has dismissed claims that the party avoids facing DAP in elections out of fear, insisting that seat allocations are based on political realities rather than a lack of courage.
In a statement shared on Facebook last night (2 July), after officiating the Kedah Malay Contractors Association (PKMM) annual general meeting, Sanusi said it has long been standard practice for political parties in Malaysia to contest in constituencies where they have established voter support.
Politicians can identify their voters
According to him, PAS does not field candidates in constituencies with a majority of non-Malay voters because the party understands its support base, just as DAP does.
“If it’s a Chinese-majority constituency, why should PAS contest there? We know who supports us and who doesn’t. That’s the political reality,” he said.
He added that every political party is aware of where its supporters are concentrated, making the decision strategic rather than emotional.
“PAS knows who its voters are, and DAP knows who theirs are. That’s how politics in this country has worked for a long time.”
An “invitation” to Anthony Loke & Hannah Yeoh to contest in Kedah
Sanusi also hit back at criticism that PAS is afraid to take on DAP directly, saying such accusations ignore the realities on the ground. Instead, he challenged DAP leaders to contest in a Malay-majority constituency.
“If that’s the case, ask DAP to contest in a Malay area. Tell Anthony Loke to come and contest in Jeneri (Kedah) in the next election.”
“If I ask Anthony Loke, Tony Pua or Hannah Yeoh to contest in Jeneri, would they? This is political reality. It’s not about whether you’re brave or not,” he added, as reported by Utusan Malaysia.
Sanusi maintained that electoral seat distribution in Malaysia has traditionally been shaped by the ethnic composition of constituencies and their political history, saying these factors continue to form the basis of every party’s election strategy.
His remarks come a day after DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke claimed that PAS was reluctant to face DAP in the upcoming Johor state election, scheduled to take place on 11 July 2026, and instead preferred to rely on Barisan Nasional (BN) as a “proxy” opponent.
Also read: Kedah MB Says the State Would’ve Been More Developed Than Selangor if KL is in Kedah
