Multiracial Amanah committed to carry on with Islamic agenda, says Mat Sabu

Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu says it remains committed towards preserving the Islamic agenda despite also being a multiracial party. – The Malaysian Insider pic Seth Akmal, September 16, 2015.Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu today said the party remains committed towards preserving the Islamic agenda despite also being a multiracial party.

He said Amanah was highly aware of the importance of defending and preserving the faith and character of Muslims in the country.

"We care very much about developing the Islamic way of thinking, especially towards the young, so that they will be knowledgeable," he said in his speech at the launch of the new party in Shah Alam today.

Mohamad, who is better known as Mat Sabu said Amanah was a multiracial party and did not focus on just a single race, a fact that they were very proud off.

He said this showed the party was unlike the 'red shirts' that just made up of the Malay community.

"I am proud of the attendance here today. All races are here, not like the red shirt rally that is monopolised by just one race," he said to the cheering crowd.

Mohamad, who was formerly PAS deputy president, was referring to the ongoing red shirts rally at Padang Merbok in Kuala Lumpur, where thousands of rally-goers in red shirts have gathered to assert Malay dominance.

Amanah was officially launched today at national level, while it was still awaiting the approval of the Registrar of Societies (RoS). Amanah is taking over and rebranding the Workers' Party into a new political party spearheaded by progressive leaders, who have recently left PAS.

Amanah secretary-general Anuar Tahir said the new party was expected to be approved by RoS very soon.

"For today's programme, the Workers' Party is launching its new party name.

"We are having this launch after we referred and sought advice. It is because the people have been waiting for this. We will only make it official and start operating when everything has been approved.

"We are confident, with God's bidding, that Amanah will be approved," he told reporters after a press conference announcing the launch of the party.

The event was attended by over 3,000 people dressed in orange, who crowded the hall. Those who attended the event also sang the national anthem and the new party anthem.

Also present were DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, DAP parliamentary advisor Lim Kit Siang. The PKR leadership was represented by president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, secretary-general Rafizi Ramli and election director Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

There were no representatives from PAS.

Amanah is claiming that the new party has some 30,000 members nationwide. It is aiming to increase the number to 100,000 by the end of this year. – September 16, 2015.