Some Comments on the Recent PAS Mu’tamar and Its Aftermath

The saying ‘drowning men clutch at straws’ aptly describes the Malaysian public who are desperate for change in our political landscape. After over 50 years of BN’s racist politics, we saw the so-called ‘political tsunami’ in March 08. Everyone immediately jumped on the Pakatan Rakyat bandwagon.

By Farouk A. Peru

Sadly, things began to fall apart when the ‘lompat katak’ MPs began to pop up. On top of that, the star of the so-called ‘liberal’ wing of PAS, Husam Musa, was exposed as a hard-core traditionalist seeking exactly the same thing as PAS’s fundamentalist leaders.

PAS’s recent mu’tamar and its aftermath, that is events reacting to the mu’tamar, gives us several signs that we cannot afford to dismiss. An analysis of a few of these events follow below: 

1. Hadi’s Ucapan Dasar.

   Hadi mentions in his speech that it is PAS which will lead the Islamic political initative in the country. He reemphasised the leadership of the ulema and denounced the failures of other socio-economic systems. He used exactly the same language as arch-fundamentalists Sayyid Qutb and Abul ‘Ala Maududi in his approach to Islam. However, in the very same speech, he also advocated close co-operation with Pakatan Rakyat. This is akin to Hitler calling for genocide of the Jews and at the same time, advocating close co-operation with Ariel Sharon. 

1. The re-election of Nasharuddin as Vice-President.

   While trusting Husam Musa is an outright bad idea after his support of Sharia law late last year, at least Husam isn’t a ‘play both sides’ man as yet. Nasharuddin Mat Isa on the other hand, is a chip off the old Hadi block. Straight after his re-election, he began articulating the initiative for Malay Unity talks with UMNO. That Nasharuddin was re-elected shows which way the wind is blowing for PAS.  

1. The Malay Unity Talks with UMNO

   If these talks don’t scare away the Malaysian public from supporting PAS, then I really don’t know what will. Hadi and Nasharuddin who represent the so-called ‘conservative’ wing of PAS already announced intent for such talks. While Nik Aziz seems to oppose such talks, I would urge PAS supporters to look at this move very cautiously. This could simply be ‘good cop, bad cop’ tactics to have one’s political cake and eat it too. The Malay Unity talks however, shows PAS’s true commitment to Islam. Can someone please ask Hadi and Nasharuddin, did Prophet Muhammad sit with Abu Lahab for Arab Unity talks? If not, whose sunnah are they following please? 

1. DAP’s Impotent but Indignant Outburst To PAS.

   True to form, the DAP acted accordingly to the Malay Unity Talks. Lim Guan Eng denied Hadi’s claim that DAP and PKR had agreed to unity talks with UMNO.  We need to ask the honourable Mr Lim, when will you learn, sir? Just what would it take to prompt you to sit up and rethink your alliance with these people? How could a socialist party like the DAP even contemplate working with the Islamist PAS especially when it has reiterated time and again its true intention? 

1. PAS Youth’s Condemnation of the Removal of the 30% Bumiputera Equity

   In Malaysia, the youth wing of any party is simply a means for the senior members to voice or enact their political will without getting the reactionary political heat. It’s that simple. PAS youth by condemning the government’s decision to the remove the 30 percent quota, has shown that PAS itself really has no scruples when it comes to political power. If being Muslim is a means to power, they will use it. If being Malay is a means to power, no problem either. Lim Kit Siang needs to ask his PAS colleagues to explain themselves.  

1. PAS’s Call to Probe Sisters in Islam.

   This call was rather surprising to me not because PAS is incapable of such a call. Far from it, actually. Rather, that the call was made during such a time like the mu’tamar when PAS needed everyone to know how nice they are. The need to probe sisters in Islam simply shows the religious authoritarianism which PAS so blatantly cannot hide. Sisters in Islam are social activists who use orthodox channels for Sharia reformism for their proposed reforms. That PAS cannot appreciate this tells us very meaningful things about them and the sharia law which will be established once they come into power.  

The recent PAS Mu’tamar which was held last week only serves to tell us just what we can expect from PAS and Pakatan Rakyat. If after this, the Malaysian public (and we include even non-Muslims here) still supports PAS then when the worst happens, then they deserve what’s coming to them. And if after this, DAP and PKR still stand shoulder to shoulder with PAS, then I urge the Malaysian public to even reconsider them as your alternative to BN. Stop limiting ourselves to people who simply use ideology as a pretext for political power. Come up with a truly democratic party and we will save Malaysia together.