Identical goals, diverging paths
COMMENT | Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Abdul Rahman Kassim are birds of an Islamist feather who once flocked together from a desire to give the best impression of their faith to non-Muslims.
Their ties go back a long way because the older Abdul Rahman, now 63, in his youth was a strong supporter of Mujahid's father, Yusof Rawa, who was considered PAS royalty.
This was on account of Yusof's role as the first Mursyidul Am (spiritual director) of PAS, his long track record of benefaction to the party (his family's printing business prospered and he was generous with the proceeds), and, more signally, his defeat of Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the parliamentary seat of Kota Setar Selatan in the 1969 general election (GE3), a feat that enjoys a special niche in PAS lore.
Ten years ago, Mujahid, in imitation of Yusof Rawa's inclusivist inclinations, led the PAS overture to church groups in the northern part of the peninsula in the wake of Muslim restiveness over the use of the term “Allah” by peninsular Christians in faith education and worship.
As head of the Lajnah Perpaduan (national unity bureau) in PAS, Mujahid was allowed some latitude in pursuing this initiative, although the party was opposed, as most right-wing Malay groups were, to Christians' use of the 'Allah' word...
