MELAKA, Oct 31 — PAS will carry out 70 per cent of its campaigning for the Melaka state election through social media, says PAS Central election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.

Muhammad Sanusi, who is also Kedah menteri besar, said this was because the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the state polls to be issued by the Election Commission (EC) and the National Security Council (NSC) would most likely not allow for conventional campaigning such as house-to-house visits, to curb the spread of Covid-19.

"The remaining 30 per cent will comprise conventional campaigning. This may involve some visits, but I’m sure it won’t be as lively as before, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, (as we need to) take care of SOPs and we also want to avoid our staff risking themselves or even spreading the disease, so we will be active on social media,” he said while launching the PAS machinery for the Melaka state polls virtually tonight.

On seats set to be contested by PAS in the polls, Muhammad Sanusi reiterated the statement by PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man yesterday, that negotiations involving Muakafat Nasional (MN) with Umno and Perikatan Nasional (PN), which comprised Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Gerakan, were still in progress.

"We have a platform that has been established by the leaders... we have PN, MN and now (we) are negotiating so that we have only straight fights in the Melaka polls. We hope these negotiations are successful, and this is what we are working on,” he said.

The EC set has the nomination date for the Melaka state election on Nov 8, followed by early voting on Nov 16 and polling date on Nov 20.

The election is being held following the dissolution of the Melaka State Assembly on Oct 4, when four state assemblymen withdrew their support for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali. — Bernama