A split in PAS needed for march to Putrajaya
Kuo Yong KooiPublished: May 6, 2014 12:42 PM | Updated: May 6, 2014 12:44 PM
Putting all the ‘to hudud or not to hudud’ and constitutional legality arguments aside, the one prominent point that we need to look at seriously is that the conservative faction of PAS does have a lot in common with Umno on many hotly debated Islamic topics.
The ‘Kalimah Allah’ controversy is one good example; PAS leaders like the late Ulama Wing chief Harun Taib, former deputy president Nasaruddin Mat Isa, and deputy spiritual leader Haron Din openly stood by Umno on this matter in defiance of the position put forth by Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat.
The unfortunate fact is that there is a formidable force in the PAS rank and file that think along the lines of Umno on many matters Islamic. The urging by many for the banning of concerts, Valentine’s Day celebrations, and gay and lesbian rights comes from both Umno and the conservative PAS ulama.
In early October 2013, Harun Taib urged a review of PAS’s relationship with Pakatan Rakyat in a PAS Ulama meeting in Kedah. Some might argue that the statement was purely a pre-PAS muktamar political posturing for the conservative faction.
Seeing many of the statements from the conservative faction of PAS, it is clear that they are not interested in forging a strong relationship with the other component parties of Pakatan Rakyat. Their agenda is Islamic state first, which they have clearly and honestly stated right from the beginning.
The conservatives versus the progressives fault line within PAS is one of the main cause of Pakatan’s weaknesses in projecting a clear and unified message to the electorate on which direction the country needs to head towards.
In the eyes of a Pakatan supporter, a change in the government first does not seem to be the main agenda of PAS as the current hudud debate goes. Many non-Muslims had already endured enough extreme right-wing racial and religious vitriol from Umno, and the current hudud debate is one too many.
Assuming the PAS Private Member’s Bill that is expected to be tabled in June fails to sail through parliament, the rift between the conservative and the progressive forces in PAS will always be there. This rift is a long-term headache and a hindrance for Pakatan Rakyat’s march to Putrajaya.
DAP and PKR can’t do much about the internal matter of PAS. Some might argue that PKR also has its internal rifts. Although the current internal rift in PKR is very much a personality clash between Azmin Ali and Khalid Ibrahim, ideologically PKR as a whole is still at one with the opposition’s agenda.
PAS, however, is half-hearted with the opposition’s aims and objectives. They are ideologically split on whether to implement Islamic state first or change the government first.
The only possible solution
The only possible solution to this conundrum is for the progressive forces of PAS to make a move and split the party. Once a clear line is drawn, the electorate who want a change in government will have confidence to unite behind Pakatan’s march to Putrajaya.
A split in PAS is absolutely necessary as the current heightened racial and religious tensions can only get worse. Yes, this might also due to the lack of leadership from the Pakatan pact, but PAS conservatives have been and will always be the stumbling block to a secular Malaysian state.
The sooner the split in PAS happens, the faster Pakatan will recover from this. If there is no split, the point put forth by Ahmad Farouk Musa from the Islamic Renaissance Front will be true, that is Umno will be governing Malaysia for another 50 years.
The split in PAS can also save Pakatan from potentially splitting. Pakatan might need one or two elections to lick this wound instead of 50 years.
The messages put forth by Pakatan to the rakyat after the split will be clearer. The battle against the racial and religious venom spewed by Umno will be more effective and less confusing as currently the conservative faction of PAS has and will always be the spoiler of the good work done by other opposition Pakatan pact parties.
Another important point that one needs to be mindful of a future very possible scenario where the opposition wins a slim margin to form a minority government, you can bet your bottom ringgit that Umno will play the hudud card to the conservative faction of PAS to cross over.
So it is better for the progressive faction of PAS to make the move now rather then later. If it is done at a later stage, a snap election can be called and that leaves no time for Pakatan to lick its wounds from the split.
The question is whether there are any brave progressive thinking souls in PAS who can lead the way? The person who dares to lead and make this move might be a potential prime ministerial material for a peaceful and prosperous secular state of Malaysia in the future.
The ‘Kalimah Allah’ controversy is one good example; PAS leaders like the late Ulama Wing chief Harun Taib, former deputy president Nasaruddin Mat Isa, and deputy spiritual leader Haron Din openly stood by Umno on this matter in defiance of the position put forth by Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat.
The unfortunate fact is that there is a formidable force in the PAS rank and file that think along the lines of Umno on many matters Islamic. The urging by many for the banning of concerts, Valentine’s Day celebrations, and gay and lesbian rights comes from both Umno and the conservative PAS ulama.
In early October 2013, Harun Taib urged a review of PAS’s relationship with Pakatan Rakyat in a PAS Ulama meeting in Kedah. Some might argue that the statement was purely a pre-PAS muktamar political posturing for the conservative faction.
Seeing many of the statements from the conservative faction of PAS, it is clear that they are not interested in forging a strong relationship with the other component parties of Pakatan Rakyat. Their agenda is Islamic state first, which they have clearly and honestly stated right from the beginning.
The conservatives versus the progressives fault line within PAS is one of the main cause of Pakatan’s weaknesses in projecting a clear and unified message to the electorate on which direction the country needs to head towards.
In the eyes of a Pakatan supporter, a change in the government first does not seem to be the main agenda of PAS as the current hudud debate goes. Many non-Muslims had already endured enough extreme right-wing racial and religious vitriol from Umno, and the current hudud debate is one too many.
Assuming the PAS Private Member’s Bill that is expected to be tabled in June fails to sail through parliament, the rift between the conservative and the progressive forces in PAS will always be there. This rift is a long-term headache and a hindrance for Pakatan Rakyat’s march to Putrajaya.
DAP and PKR can’t do much about the internal matter of PAS. Some might argue that PKR also has its internal rifts. Although the current internal rift in PKR is very much a personality clash between Azmin Ali and Khalid Ibrahim, ideologically PKR as a whole is still at one with the opposition’s agenda.
PAS, however, is half-hearted with the opposition’s aims and objectives. They are ideologically split on whether to implement Islamic state first or change the government first.
The only possible solution
The only possible solution to this conundrum is for the progressive forces of PAS to make a move and split the party. Once a clear line is drawn, the electorate who want a change in government will have confidence to unite behind Pakatan’s march to Putrajaya.
A split in PAS is absolutely necessary as the current heightened racial and religious tensions can only get worse. Yes, this might also due to the lack of leadership from the Pakatan pact, but PAS conservatives have been and will always be the stumbling block to a secular Malaysian state.
The sooner the split in PAS happens, the faster Pakatan will recover from this. If there is no split, the point put forth by Ahmad Farouk Musa from the Islamic Renaissance Front will be true, that is Umno will be governing Malaysia for another 50 years.
The split in PAS can also save Pakatan from potentially splitting. Pakatan might need one or two elections to lick this wound instead of 50 years.
The messages put forth by Pakatan to the rakyat after the split will be clearer. The battle against the racial and religious venom spewed by Umno will be more effective and less confusing as currently the conservative faction of PAS has and will always be the spoiler of the good work done by other opposition Pakatan pact parties.
Another important point that one needs to be mindful of a future very possible scenario where the opposition wins a slim margin to form a minority government, you can bet your bottom ringgit that Umno will play the hudud card to the conservative faction of PAS to cross over.
So it is better for the progressive faction of PAS to make the move now rather then later. If it is done at a later stage, a snap election can be called and that leaves no time for Pakatan to lick its wounds from the split.
The question is whether there are any brave progressive thinking souls in PAS who can lead the way? The person who dares to lead and make this move might be a potential prime ministerial material for a peaceful and prosperous secular state of Malaysia in the future.
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