Where will ulama fit in Umno?
Umno Online quoted Umno executive secretary Datuk Abdul Rauf Yusoh as saying that the ulama are expected to “refresh” the party and “enhance” the confidence of the Malays in Umno as the party headed for the 13th general election.
Written by Chua Sue-Ann, The Edge
Reports that some 100 ulama (“Islamic scholars”) will make their debut in Umno by the end of this week have generated much interest and scepticism, particularly on where the ulama would fit in the grand scheme of things.
News portal Umno Online last Saturday reported that some 100 “highly qualified” ulama will be joining Umno via the party’s Dataran Merdeka Umno branch, including the respected former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin.
While Umno’s vast membership has previously included some influential Muslim figures, the mass recruitment of ulama, if it comes to be, could boost the party’s Islamic credentials.
Independent member of parliament (MP) Zulkifli Nordin, when approached for comment on the matter, maintained that religious scholars should not get involved in party politics as the ulama‘s role was to provide advice on a variety of issues without having to “toe the line”.
“Once you get involved in party politics then you see what happens to those scholars in PAS; they have to compromise and give concessions. I don’t think it’s healthy…
“You’d have to take a partisan stand although it may not be in accordance with Islamic principles, like on the issue of legalising sports betting,” said the Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP, who is known to be vocal on Islamic issues.
Zulkifli, a practising syariah lawyer, said that Muslims in the country were divided between PAS and Umno, warning that ulama would only be “representing half” the community if they chose one party or the other.
PAS central working committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said Umno would not be able to place ulama “in a position worthy of their ulama status”, and accused Umno of marginalising the ulama and ignoring their views when formulating policy.
“They don’t have a tradition of respecting ulama or listening to them, let alone making them top leadership,” said Dzulkefly, when approached in parliament’s lobby on Monday, June 21.
Currently, PAS is the only political party with a special wing for its ulama called the Dewan Ulamak.
The Kuala Selangor MP also questioned why Umno had to resort to the mass admission of religious scholars into the political party to boost its “credibility or moral standing”.
“They (Umno) are a party that never had place for Islam… they (ulama) will be drowned, diluted and we find they will be marginalised and humiliated,” Dzulkefly said, anticipating difficulty around the controversial issue of legalised gambling and other potential conflicts.
Dzulkefly also dismissed claims that 100 ulama will be joining Umno, saying that he doubted whether there were that many ulama in the country.
“It’s so difficult to find a hundred ulama in Malaysia, there are many ustaz but ulama, with that kind of standing, I don’t think there are that many ulama and a smaller number are willing to go into partisan politics,” Dzulkefly said.
The PAS leader also urged Mohd Asri and the other ulama to “consider this seriously because this will tarnish them”.
Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said Umno “welcomes” ulama who are keen to join the party and said a “special ceremony” would soon be organised to celebrate the new members.
“It is a very, very interesting development. It shows the confidence of the religious scholars in Umno’s struggle and that they are not confident of the struggles of other parties,” Ahmad said, when met in parliament’s corridors on Monday.
To another question, Ahmad said the ulama‘s addition “would certainly strengthen” Umno and they will also make good ceramah speakers.
Umno Online quoted Umno executive secretary Datuk Abdul Rauf Yusoh as saying that the ulama are expected to “refresh” the party and “enhance” the confidence of the Malays in Umno as the party headed for the 13th general election.
Ahmad, who is a deputy minister in the prime minister’s department, said he had scheduled a meeting on Monday afternoon with some of the ulama to discuss their potential membership in Umno but remained tight-lipped on whether Asri would join Umno.
Several news portals reported on Monday that several senior Umno leaders had been courting Mohd Asri, although the latter had issued a statement on his blog saying that he had yet to decide on joining any political party. Mohd Asri, a maverick scholar, was also reportedly wooed by PAS.
It now remains to be seen which of the ulama will announce their intentions to join Umno, what role they would be given within the party and how they would affect Umno’s internal dynamics as well as the national political landscape.
