PAS MUKTAMAR PAS ulama and professionals should not fall for a ploy by their common foes to split the party in two, warned party president Abdul Hadi Awang today.

 

In his policy speech at the 61st PAS muktamar in Kuala Selangor today, Hadi said both sides have an important role to play, and emphasised that the professionals were the parties "mutiara" (pearls).

 

"The professionals are an important force in the party, just as important as the ulama and party activists. In fact, we accept anyone who wants to contribute to Islam's victory.

 

"Let there be none among us who are trapped by the ploy by our foes who are trying to split us by hurling slogans about the division between the ulama and the professionals," he said.

 

His remarks come ahead of the party's election later today which has been touted as a contest between the ulama camp headed by Hadi and the pro-Pakatan professionals faction led by his challenger Ahmad Awang.

 

The ulama, led by Nik Abduh Nik Aziz ( photo ), dominated the Youth and Muslimat polls yesterday to completely obliterate candidates from the professional faction.

 

Hadi denied there was ever a split between the ulamas and professionals, and blamed the perception on secular elements trying to penetrate the Islamist movements worldwide.

 

“There is no split between the ulamas and professionals in PAS. What is happening is that we are facing the onslaught of secularism which was created to stop the rise of Islam,' he said.

 

He then cited the party's history, in which both groups stood together to set up and move PAS forward.

 

“Our concept is clear. In scores of muktamar, that we are the ones moving to make the professionals ulamas, and make the ulamas professionals,” he said, adding that the professionals had contributed greatly to the party.

 

The alleged rift between the ulamas and professionals is believed to stem from the ulama camp's desire to stand on its own to pursue the party's Islamic agenda, while the professionals seek to keep the party within Pakatan to achieve its goal of capturing Putrajaya.