“SAVING” Kelantan will be Husam Musa’s main agenda after relinquishing his post as Amanah vice-president.

The former PAS politician said this in a forum last night, adding that he will also focus on winning the Kota Baru seat in the next general election.

“My next agenda is to save Kelantan and Kota Baru. We want to succeed. We don’t know if we will succeed but that is what I will do,” he said in the forum organised by Amanah Lembah Pantai.

The idea for a Save Kelantan campaign came about as part of his efforts to persuade the Kelatanese not to be too obsessed with political parties.

“The Kelantanese are fanatical, so I am trying to show them how to be non-partisan but to work for the improvement of their village, state constituency or parliamentary seat. 

“If they have an idea or want to do something, they can join the Save Kelantan campaign.

“Any Kelantanese that has the capability, dedication or idea to do something for their village, state seat or Parliament constituency, they can join the Save Kelantan campaign,” he said. 

Husam was among moderate leaders who quit PAS and formed Amanah in 2015.

He resigned from his post as Amanah vice-president last week, purportedly to protest president Mohamad Sabu’s alleged weak leadership.

Husam later denied the rumours, although he did indeed quit the vice-presidency.

However, Amanah has offered him positions as strategic adviser for several of its initiatives to strengthen the PAS splinter party in Kelantan.

Husam said although he is no longer vice-president, he can still contribute to the party.

“If I want to resign, that is my right, there is no problem, I can still contribute after I have resigned.”

He rebutted claims that Pakatan Harapan, which Amanah is part of, is weak in Kelantan.

“Don’t assume we are not strong because we didn’t win Kelantan,” he said of the northern east coast state that has been under PAS rule since 1990, and before that, from 1959 to 1977.

Husam was formerly Salor assemblyman but lost in the 2018 general election.

However, he said he did not lose so much as to forfeit his deposit for his candidacy.

He said his loss was due to “fanatics” among voters in the seat.

“They voted PAS because they feared Umno would take over the state government,” he said, referring to the deep-seated rivalry between PAS and Umno which lasted until last year, when both parties formed Muafakat Nasional after Umno lost federal power in the 2018 polls. – September 23, 2020.