JOHOR BARU: Bukit Pasir incumbent Najib Lep has yet to receive any notice from his party PAS that he has been sacked for standing in the Johor election as an Independent candidate.

       The retired army officer said no one from PAS has contacted him since nomination day on Saturday.

       “I did not receive any official letter or even a WhatsApp message from PAS saying that I have been expelled from the party for contesting as an Independent,” he said when contacted here yesterday.

       He claimed he wanted to become a candidate for Bukit Pasir as he hoped to carry out some “unfinished” work in the constituency.

       “My relationship with the people in Bukit Pasir is like a family – no matter the differences in our race or religion. And it is they who persuaded me to contest as an Independent,” he added.

       Najib was the only PAS candidate in Johor who won a seat in the 14th general election.

       “PAS has every right to take action against me as it is stipulated in our party’s constitution but I do hope they understand the reason behind my decision,” he said.

       He compared his situation to that of a contractor who was in the middle of constructing a house.

       “Now, they (PAS) are putting someone new in my place thinking that the person can do a better job while I hold the blueprint,” he added.

       Najib will be facing Perikatan Nasional’s candidate Iqbal Razak, Mohd Akhiri Mahmood (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air), Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh (Barisan Nasional), Elia Nadira (Pakatan Harapan) and another Independent candidate, Johar Siraj.

       Meanwhile, Johor PAS commissioner Abdullah Husin said the state PAS will let the party leadership decide on Najib’s future.

       “Going against the party’s syura council decision (on PAS candidates) is a very serious matter,” he added.

       Abdullah said that Najib was supposed to contest in another seat, one which the party believed he had a better chance of winning.

       An online news portal quoted PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Mat as saying Najib had been automatically sacked from the party.

       Tuan Ibrahim added Najib’s act of contesting as an Independent was against the party’s decision to field their own candidate, Iqbal.