SABAK BERNAM, June 13 ― PAS said today that its support would not be affected by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad campaigning for splinter party, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), in both Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

PAS vice president and Sungai Besar elections director Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad claimed that Umno members in the federal constituency have told him that the former prime minister's support for Amanah would not split votes.

“We have gotten feedback from Umno voters and the feedback we received is that Umno itself has rejected Dr Mahathir. He would not have any effect on PAS' campaign at all,” he told reporters in a press conference here today.

Iskandar added that all parties were looking at the Sungai Besar polls outcome as a “referendum”, after Dr Mahathir claimed that a win for Amanah would be the people's “referendum” against the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Over the weekend, Dr Mahathir stumped for Amanah candidates in both by-elections in which polling will take place this Saturday.

Iskandar and PAS candidate Dr Rani Osman for Sungai Besar said their party has also been campaigning on the same issue, stating that a win would be a referendum against Barisan Nasional (BN) rule and not any individual in particular.

“This elections is something that everyone would look as a referendum; even Umno is working hard as a win here would be a referendum,” Iskandar added.

The Selangor PAS commissioner also warned Sungai Besar constituents that Putrajaya might hike the Goods and Services Tax (GST) up to 10 per cent if BN wins as the ruling coalition would perceive the victory as acceptance of the broad-based consumption tax.

“We are worried GST will be raised. If BN wins, there is no guarantee that it will be maintained.

“It stands at six per cent now, there is no guarantee that it would not be raised to 10 percent like in Indonesia and Vietnam if BN wins big,” Iskandar said adding that this was based on the trend of other countries in the region where the GST increased over the years.

GST was introduced in April last year to replace the Sales and Service Tax (SST).