A group of PAS ulama (religious scholars) have claimed that the Muslim-based opposition party was denied assistance from the angels in the recent general elections, and blamed the professionals within the Islamic party for its humiliating loss.

Following this, the ulama are launching a move to sack party secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa - who has close links to the many professionals who have joined the party recently.

The first battleground will be tomorrow when the party's Federal Territory holds its annual state meeting.

According to a party leader who requested anonymity, one of the six resolutions that the party state leadership intends to pass at its ijtimak (meeting) is the appointment of a new secretary-general.

This attempt to unseat Nasharuddin is believed to be an attack against those within the ulama circle who have given "too much face" to the professionals within the party.

"I see it as a direct attack against the leadership of president Haji (Abdul) Hadi (Awang) by a certain group with the ulama," he said.

"They argued that the party has given too much credence to the professionals to downplay PAS Islamic state agenda....

"And because they couldn't go in full swing with the agenda, they claimed that the party has failed to get God's blessing, and thus the loss (in the general election)."

No blessings

According to the resolutions to be tabled at the Federal Territory meeting - which malaysiakini has obtained a copy - PAS won Kelantan and Terengganu in 1999 because of the close working ties between humans and angels whose struggle was fully blessed by Allah following the party's full commitment to the demands of Islam.

It referred to Prophet Muhammad's experience in the Battles of Uhud and Badar, and stated that the party lost this time around not because it was weak, but because it lacked discipline and wala' (religious loyalty), which denied the party the "assistance from the angels".

"When I read the resolution, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This is how far they (the ulama) are willing to go to deny that they too have contributed to the party's defeat," said the source.

He believed that the resolution to oust Nasharuddin will be passed by the state leadership at tomorrow's meeting since most division leaders feared for their party posts should they vote against it.

The resolution calls for the appointment of a new secretary-general who has a "good understanding of Islamic working tradition".

"Once this is passed here (in Federal Territory), I suspect that such sentiments will snowball as other states will be holding their respective ijtimak in the following weeks... This would undermine all efforts made by the professionals in the party," he lamented.

"If they succeed, PAS would end up being a narrowly-focused party where its leaders preach among themselves, and eventually the professionals would either abandon the party or adopt a tidak apa (indifferent) attitude."

He also believed that PAS two top leaders - Abdul Hadi and spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat - have no knowledge of the campaign to oust Nasharuddin.

"Nik Aziz's support for leaders like Husam Musa and Hadi's close relationship with vice-president Mustafa Ali showed that they are open to the professionals. It is their subordinates who are stirring up the problem."

Nasharuddin has failed

Meanwhile, another party insider denied that the resolution calling for a new secretary-general had any relation with the friction between the ulama and professionals in PAS.

"Nasharuddin is one of the ulama in the party. In fact, it was on the insistence of a group of religious scholars that former party president, the late Fadzil Noor, appointed him into the position although he had preferred to put a professional for the post.

"In fact, the individual who has been named to take over the post is a successful businessman and not an ulama. So to say that they (the religious scholars) are behind the push does not hold any water."

He said even the professionals in the party had expressed dissatisfaction with Nasharuddin's performance in the past few years, claiming that the young leader had failed to mobilise the party effectively.

"Nasharuddin is good with the media. But as a party leader who is also a central committee member, he has not been so impressive."

The source nevertheless conceded that the gap between the ulama and the professionals are getting wider, much to the discomfort of PAS top leadership.

"This was apparent following (party organ) Harakah 's decision to publish an article by malaysiakini columnist Farish A Noor which severely criticised the ulama. While the religious scholars had attacked the editorial decision, the professionals felt that the criticisms had basis and should be considered.

"The denial syndrome is still high among our leaders. We had hoped that the criticisms would serve as a wake-up call to the religious scholars who need to do away with their orthodox and restrictive statements.

"But they instead got extremely defensive and started pointing fingers at others. And to make matter worse, some ulama in the recent issue of Harakah had openly attacked the writer instead of his arguments."

Among them is party information chief Harun Din ( pix ), who lambasted the university lecturer for his criticisms.

According the party source, the friction between the ulama and professionals is expected to intensify when the party's post-mortem committee, which is headed by vice-president Mustafa, releases its report.

The committee has been meeting with individuals outside the party, including those from the media, non-governmental organisations and diplomats, to gather feedback on PAS' poor performance in the general elections.

PAS lost Terengganu to the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, and held on to Kelantan with the tiniest of margins in the March 21 general election. The opposition party also saw its representatives in Parliament slashed from 27 to 7.

Redefine party's ulama-led principle

"We do not want to abandon the principle that the party should be led by the ulama, but this principle should be redefined," said a source who is close to the party's top leadership.

"The problem is with those who are so obsessed with the principle that they insisted even division leaders must be those with religious education and background. This should not be the case," he said.

"As long as the party is directed by its Majlis Syura or consultative council, there is no need for the ulama to hold posts at every level of the party leadership."

He also said that there is a need for the party's president to set his priorities right in solving the ulama-professionals divide, adding that Hadi has confused his subordinates by issuing mixed signals.

"Hadi needs to be sterner with his subordinates like (the late) Ustaz Fadzil, who had no qualms in putting non-progressive ulama in their place."

Over the past few years, professionals who are not religious scholars have joined PAS in droves and have moved up the ranks to hold key posts in the party, indirectly challenging the ulama's grip on the party.