INTERVIEW The existence of Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa) will force PAS to decide whether the party wants to leave or stay with Pakatan Rakyat, said PasMa president Phahrolrazi Zawawi.

Phahrolrazi said that PAS needs to decide soon and cannot remain “stagnant”, as the 14th general election is fast approaching.

GE14 is not expected until 2018, but the ruling party may call for a snap election to obtain a mandate from the people to continue governing the country.

He noted that PAS will be electing its new central committee leadership this June, and that they are all ears on whether the muktamar (delegates) will decide the party’s status in Pakatan Rakyat.

This also one of the reasons why PAS appears wary of PasMa members, he added, as the latter is “solidly” behind Pakatan Rakyat.

When asked if PAS felt threatened by PasMa's presence, Phahrolrazi (right) responded, “It only seems so at the party’s central committee, not at state level."

“We are doing well at the state level. We have formed secretariats in many states (according to state and parliament seats), we are now only short of Negri Sembilan, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak,” he added in an interview with Malaysiakini in Alor Setar, Kedah yesterday.

“Even our supporters overseas, like students in the United Kingdom, are asking that PasMa be formed in their areas.

“We are the third force, if there is a need for us to support Pakatan Rakyat during the elections, we will do so. If there is anything lacking, we will complement (it),” he stressed.

PasMa was formed on Aug 10 last year at the height of the Selangor MB crisis, where PAS rejected PKR’s chosen candidate and president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (left).

The crisis resulted in PAS suspending two of its assemblypersons who decided to support PKR and DAP to replace Khalid Ibrahim with Wan Azizah.

After nearly two months of wrangling, the Selangor ruler finally decided to appoint PKR deputy president Azmin Ali as the menteri besar.

Phahrolrazi pointed out that the Selangor crisis and PAS' role in it was the most discussed topic in every forum and meeting that PasMa had held with its supporters.

“That is how PasMa became popular. It also became a platform for party members and supporters of Pakatan Rakyat to criticise the PAS leadership,” he noted.

'PasMa not a political offshoot of PAS'

However, Phahrolrazi insists that PasMa is not a political offshoot of PAS, but an NGO which operates from outside PAS, and has among its interests, welfare work like in the recent floods in the East Coast states.

He said PasMa provides those who do not have a party platform to voice out their suggestions, criticisms and demands.

“We are not tied to the party’s disciplinary procedures so our supporters can voice out their views freely, as our goal is to strengthen Pakatan Rakyat,” he further said.

PasMa appears to add to the various factions in PAS formed by the ulamas (Muslim scholars) and professionals; a divide also exists between those who are educated locally and those from overseas.

But Phahrolrazi said PAS has had no choice but to be open to several factions as the party has grown big, boasting a membership of about one million now.

He denied that PasMa would split the multi-factionalised PAS, adding that it is then up to the leadership to manage the different groups.

“Moreover, we are more of a pressure group, a third force and a check-and-balance in Pakatan Rakyat, and our membership is open to all regardless of race and religion,” Phahrolrazi said.

“Groups like us must exist so that politics will not remain stagnant,” he stressed.

Some quarters - like PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (right) - have dismissed PasMa as an unknown “species”, but Phahrolrazi pointed out that its strength must not be taken lightly.

The PAS central committee has issued a circular to ban its members from joining PasMa, but has yet to act on those who did.

Phahrolrazi revealed that PasMa has registered about 200 members who form the core of the NGO; these individuals are from various backgrounds, and who are eligible to attend the organisation’s AGM.

As for supporters and volunteers, the numbers can run into thousands all over the country, he noted.

“It just seems as if we are involved in politics as we strive to improve Pakatan Rakyat, but we are not a political party,” he assured.

“Like Perkasa - the Malay rights groups - who often appears to be involved in politics as the NGO raises political issues, so do we, but we are also involved in welfare work,” he added.

Tomorrow: Why PAS’ chief fears PasMa