KOTA BARU, Jan 26 — The Sabah chapter of Islamist party PAS has reportedly expressed its desire to contest in the 17th Sabah state election due later this year.

Utusan Malaysia cited its vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah saying that however, the party’s top leadership has not officially discussed the matter.

“So far there has been no official discussion, we only hear Sabah PAS’s desire to contest.

“Usually, when Sabah PAS expresses its desire, it already has candidates,” the Kelantan leader, also called Nik Amar, was quoted saying.

In September last year, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said the party may contest the Sabah state election, but was still considering the views of other allies.

Following pushback from some allies in the state, Abdul Hadi then said that any decision rests with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact.

Meanwhile, Mohd Amar also said that Abdul Hadi has yet to decide on the replacement for PN’s treasurer-general post, formerly held by its vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

Samsuri’s resignation was confirmed by PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man last month.

PAS was at loggerheads with ally Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia over the status of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the coalition’s “poster boy” or prime minister candidate for the 16th general election.

Former prime minister Muhyiddin responded by saying the decision on who will be PN’s prime minister candidate will be made collectively at the coalition’s supreme council meeting, rather than by any individual leader.