The biggest stumbling block for PAS in the coming general elections is the perception of urban voters, both Muslim and non-Muslim, regarding its theocratic goals.

According to analysts, the party is faced with the challenge of leading a viable opposition front while maintaining its Islamic identity.

However, the victory of the young moderates in last Friday's party elections signalled an end to fundamentalist rhetoric that contributed to PAS' crushing defeat in the 2004 elections.

Apart from losing control over Terengganu, the party also lost 20 parliamentary seats in that election, which was the first for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

At present, the party is clinging on to power in Kelantan with a single-seat majority. The ruling Barisan Nasional government had won a record 92 percent of the 219 parliamentary seats.

Populist stand

"The Young Turk's victory showed that PAS wants a continuation from the 2004 line-up. They want consolidation and recovery from the last election," said political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.

"They're moving away from the fundamentalist Islamic stand to a more populist stand to attract support from non-Muslims," he told malaysiakini.

In last week's party polls, Nasharudin Mat Isa, 45, retained his deputy president post by defeating senior cleric Harun Taib, 64. In total, the moderates swept 40 percent of key committee posts.

With the general election around the corner, the moderates have been tasked to negotiate with other opposition parties on seat allocations and project a more modern image to voters.

"It's definitely a move from the 1999 election where they were restricted to Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis the important Malay majority areas," said Khoo.

"For them to challenge national power, they have to come down to mixed areas and make efforts to be more moderate to appeal to more non-Muslims supporters," he said.

He predicted that a hardline Islamic stand, similar to that adopted by PAS in the 1999 general election, would be rejected by voters.

"It will be rejected even by the Malay-Muslim community. Not all of them will be able to accept the PAS brand of Islamic politics. They (PAS) have to more towards more moderation because of the signals they got from that election," he said.

Compromises needed

Meanwhile, analyst Dr Lim Teck Ghee pointed out that urban non-Muslims have yet to form a definitive opinion of PAS.

"There is basically a wait and see position. Many non-Muslims, and Muslims too, want to see a reformist and progressive Islamic party whose policies and programmes are of the 21st century and not the medieval ages," he said.

"If PAS policies cannot be redefined to incorporate humanistic and progressive elements that transcend its narrow and intolerant basis, it will not gain the respect of the voting public," added the former director of think-tank Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli).

Lim said PAS experienced mixed results by forming the Barisan Alternatif in 1999, an opposition front consisting of DAP, PRM and Keadilan (PRM and Keadilan later merged to form PKR).

DAP, a predominantly Chinese party, left the coalition in 2001 after crossing swords with PAS over the latter's aim to establish an Islamic state.

"PAS made itself vulnerable to support from religious hardliners and extremists who comprise a small part of the electorate.

"At the same time, it opened a window of opportunity for the party to engage more closely with secular based moderates who have deep seated fears and doubts about the ultimate designs of religious-based political parties - irrespective of the religion involved," said Lim.

According to him, PAS would need to compromise on some of its hardline Islamic stances if opposition parties are to make further headway.

He said the party's performance in the coming elections would depend on whether it is able to convince voters "on the correctness of its policies and [clarify] the relationship between religion and state."

"[PAS would have to show] respect for the secular character of the Malaysian Constitution; defence of the equal rights of non-Muslims and multi-culturalism and the many other social, legal and political issues that stem from imposing an Islamic agenda on a multi-racial and multi-religious country," he said.

Choosing Umno over PAS

However, Khoo noted the existence of lapses when 'ulamas' slip into rhetorical speak.

To illustrate his point, the analyst cited the speech by PAS spiritual leader Niz Aziz Nik Mat on Sunday where he described Muslims who voted for non-Muslim parties as "lost souls."

"Their rhetoric is sometimes hard to accept, especially their statements on women. I think it would be problematic, especially PAS' relationship with other non-Islamic parties," said Khoo.

He reiterated that PAS' biggest problem was the public perception among non-Muslims voters.

"Even based on the 1999 elections, on the measured sentiments of non-Muslims, a lot of them do not understand Islam.

"They are really nervous, especially when there is talk of Islamisation. They would rather stick with the devil they know like Umno," he said.