ANALYSIS After a series of flirting sessions with Umno, PAS, in particular its conservatives, appear to have finally settled with Pakatan Rakyat for the next general election that must be called before April 28 next year.

The phrase ' tahaluf siyasi ' (political consensus) constantly played on the lips of even the most conservative PAS leaders when addressing matters concerning Pakatan Rakyat during the concurrent muktamar of the party's Youth, Muslimat and Ulama wings in Kota Baru yesterday.

This, despite the backdrop of "friendly-fire" from sacked PAS veteran Hasan Ali and former PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa for the party's involvement with Pakatan.

The muktamars were largely silent on the duo's allegations that PAS had veered off course by associating with Pakatan and to charges of being reduced a to minor partner in the coalition.

NONE However, despite the pre-polls posturing from party leaders, the debates brought to the fore hints that some PAS leaders and grassroots, too, may share those lingering sentiments and concerns.

PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan ( right) when officially opening his wing's muktamar on Wednesday had sought to set a moderate tone, urging his members to carry the aspirations of youths as far as religion would allow.

But when queried what he meant in his speech that PAS must position itself as a "core party" within Pakatan, Nasrudin explained that it meant nothing more than being an equal partner in the opposition coalition.

Dominant force ambition

The wing's delegates today were more straightforward, with Jerai PAS Youth representative Muhammad Ismail openly declaring at the debate that the party should strive to become the dominant force within Pakatan.

"Our ulama leaders in the syura council have also outlined guidelines for tahaluf siyasi to ensure that we move according to the tenets of Islam.

"Thus it is the responsibility of our leaders and youths to abide by his guidelines in tahaluf siyasi," he said, a view also shared by Kuala Terengganu PAS Youth representative Wan Mohd Faizul Wan Abbas.

Speaking on the sidelines of the muktamar, he said: ""If Ulamas do not lead us, we are worried that the basic principle of (PAS) will be shaken."

The emphasis on political consensus, though cautiously, particularly among the conservative-dominated youth wing, marks a shift from contemplating political marriage with Umno to one that recognises the current political realities within Pakatan ahead of national polls.

Even at the PAS Ulama muktamar, its chief Haron Taib, who had previously defended Nasharuddin's tirade against Pakatan, spoke of political consensus.

Digging in over hudud law

Nonetheless, unlike progressive PAS leaders who have toned down the hudud rhetoric since joining Pakatan, the congregation of Islamic scholars were unyielding on their hudud law agenda and not in the least worried over going public about it.

PAS Muslimat, too, managed to raise eyebrows when its Perlis and Federal Territories spoke of political consensus while attempting to introduce two motions for more stringent appointment of central leaders, pointing to the "parasites" controversy - a term coined by party renegades with which to paint leaders who practised 'accommodative politics' with Pakatan.

The motions, however, were rejected even before the debates commenced.

NONE Even though the conservative faction appears to have reconciled itself to the Pakatan reality, they were seen during the triple muktamars yesterday as attempting to push back against their more accommodative progressive leaders and striving to assert themselves in the coalition.

An apparent example was the tag teams of both PAS Youth and Ulama launching a broadside against Harakah , the party organ seen to favour the progressives in PAS with a pro-Pakatan stance, during their muktamars.

However, the dynamics of the progressives and conservatives aside, both sides appear to be heading in the same direction in terms of a political coalition although their methods may differ, at least until the next polls.

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