ALOR STAR: Kubang Rotan assemblyman Mohd Nasir Mustapa, the last standing Pas elected rep in Kedah branded as the 'harumanis group' by the Islamic party, has been dropped as its candidate for the 14th General Election (GE14).
The two-term Pas assemblyman is not listed on the party's candidates' list which is scheduled to be announced later tonight.
A source with Kedah Pas confirmed that Mohd Nasir's name has been dropped as the party candidate which will be announced at the party's state headquarters.
"Yes, it is confirmed that he is not being nominated to defend the Kubang Rotan seat, the party has picked someone else to stand for the seat," said the source when contacted.
The move to drop Mohd Nasir has affirmed the earlier stand by Pas leadership that elected reps from the party, who are found to be openly supporting the DAP-led opposition pact would not be re-nominated by the party.
He is the last standing 'harumanis group' elected rep in Kedah who has yet to quit the party.
Mohd Nasir had won the Kubang Rotan seat for the first term in the 2008 general election and defended the seat in the GE13 five years ago after defeating Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Latt Shariman Abdullah by a 1,044 majority votes.
The other Pas elected reps in the 'Harumanis' group, Anak Bukit assemblyman Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah and Pokok Sena member of Parliament Datuk Mahfuz Omar had left the party.
Amiruddin, who is also the former Kedah state legislative assembly Opposition leader had quit the party in November to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), which has recently been slapped with an order to temporarily dissolve the party by the Registrar of Society (RoS).
Mahfuz, who is also former Pas vice-president had finally quit the party early this year after a longstanding open disagreement with the party ulama leadership which decided to part away from DAP-led opposition pact.
He had been championing the cause to get Pas to join the DAP-led opposition pact comprising of Pas splinter party, Parti Amanah Negara (PAN), PPBM, an Umno splinter party and PKR.
Mohd Nasir, alongside Mahfuz and Amiruddin had created a buzz when they turned up at the PAN annual convention in October which was held here.
However, Mohd Nasir had denied that he was leaving Pas and pledged his loyalty to the party despite criticisms from within the Islamic party for openly supporting PAN.
PAN recently announced that Mahfuz is defending the Pokok Sena seat and he is set to face a three-cornered fight with Kedah football legend, Radhi Mat Din and a candidate from BN which is yet to be named.
Meanwhile, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has on Sunday announced that Amiruddin will defend the Anak Bukit state seat and at the same time contest the Kubang Pasu Parliamentary seat.
