Two major events took place in the nation's political arena last week. First there was the Kuala Berang by-election, followed by the 50th PAS general assembly in Kota Bharu.

Any by-election, especially one held in Terengganu, Kelantan or Kedah, is always the centre of attention of the whole country. Everyone waits with bated breath for the outcome.

But this time, it was different. The Kuala Berang by-election result was not the focus of attention; instead it was buried by hot news about the PAS general assembly. Political observers preferred to discuss the 'Pepsi Cola' theory hurled by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang at his party's Youth wing assembly.

PAS Youth leader Salahuddin Ayub's faux pas in admitting his personal failings and his bravery in admonishing the leaders of his party drew much attention. Umno's victory in Kuala Berang was not considered 'news' probably because the win was something of a foregone conclusion from the start!

The general assembly this time revealed PAS Youth's dissatisfaction with the party leadership. Youth delegates openly criticised the top leaders whom they viewed as being so engrossed with victories in the 1999 general election that they caused a major downfall in March.

PAS Youth also accused the party leaders of not being serious about boycotting the results of the last general election.

Salahuddin even praised the smart move by Umno to set up Puteri Umno and wanted PAS to do likewise. He also wanted PAS Youth to come up with alternative forms of entertainment for youths in order to attract them to the party.

No post-mortem

The openness of PAS Youth was clearly a challenge for the ulama (Islamic scholars) currently leading the party.

Abdul Hadi had rebutted criticism by describing the Youth members as akin to Pepsi Cola - their bubbles froth for a short while when agitated, then quickly subside. They are inconsistent. After slamming an issue for a short time, they would bow to the decisions of the party leadership.

During the general assembly, the leaders also quarrelled with the Dewan Muslimat, the women's wing of the party, and accused them of not playing an effective role in campaigning during the last general election.

Delegates from the Dewan Muslimat denied the charge, and claimed that they had worked hard. They countered that the losses suffered by the party were due instead to indisciplined leaders and members.

Mutual finger pointing was a notable feature of the general assembly. PAS leaders were not willing to admit their mistakes and weaknesses. They also refused to reveal the findings of the post-mortem done on the general election, as expected.

What was clear was the growing dissatisfaction over the ulama's leadership approach. The younger generations of PAS members were from a range of backgrounds, and they wanted change. They wanted a clear and fresh sense of direction that would ensure the survival of PAS, and which would also be accepted by the general public.

The top echelon of the leadership, in particular the ulama, needs to accept criticism. The recent defeat with an increased margin in the Kuala Berang by-election should be treated both as a lesson and as a yardstick by which to gauge the rakyat's acceptance of PAS.

Making way

If PAS' position and standing in Terengganu is being eroded, what is it like in the other states, especially on the east coast? Does PAS want to continue in a neither-dead-nor-alive state? Or just it want to merely maintain a presence in Kelantan, Terengganu and Johore?

Clearly after the major victory of 1999, PAS had not come up an effective strategy to become a national party. PAS' hard-line leaders have failed to exploit the public acceptance of Barisan Alternatif (opposition coalition which it has headed) since 1999. PAS has failed to emerge as a party that voters can entrust with their hope, and which can be used as a reference point.

If the party had been led by leaders who were viewed as moderates, the fortunes of PAS in the last general election may not have been as disastrous. The demise of Fadzil Noor was a major blow for the influence of PAS.

A hard-line PAS under the leadership of Hadi and Harun Taib will not pose a big challenge to Umno in future elections. As long as its image scares off the majority of Malays, and non-Malays still treat PAS with disdain, Umno can rest easy.

A softer, more open and moderate PAS would be more dangerous to Umno. As such, perhaps the time has come for PAS leaders to make way for fresh blood like Husam Musa, Salahuddin Ayub, Khalid Samad, Mujahid Yusof Rawa and others in order to revitalise the party.

PAS Youth too needs to remember that they need to discard the 'Pepsi Cola' mindset in order to bring about change in the party. If their 'bubbles' subside after the general assembly, that will mean that PAS will only become into an insignificant party in the political arena.

Undeniably PAS lost during the last general election because of its weak strategy and its way of doing things, on top of being hobbled by its radical image. It did not lose because of the basis of its struggles.

If the PAS leadership does not change, the loss in Kuala Berang last Saturday will be but the first of many other losses in future, including in Kelantan.

AMAN RAIS is a former journalist who served with several mainstream papers. He abandoned his career as a 'pro-government reporter' to write freelance in pursuit of more effective and open avenues for his endeavours.