Allah stand: PAS grassroots unhappy
Anwar Ibrahim’s stand on the matter, says a PAS man, shows how much regard the former has for the Islamic party’s religious credentials.
Hawkeye, FMT
BUKIT MERTAJAM: PAS grassroots are getting disillusioned with Pakatan Rakyat over the opposition bloc’s inability to resolve the issue of allowing non-Muslims to use the word Allah, claims former Penang PAS Youth head Mohamed Hafiz Nordin.
Alleging that he has come to represent the voice of the PAS grassroots here, Hafiz said many members are not coming out openly to express their anxieties out of respect for the party leadership.
Nonetheless, they are expressing their grievances through him, Hafiz told a press conference.
“PAS members including me are a discipline lot. I would never exit from PAS as my struggle is Islam. It is only that I am the outspoken kind and would not relent in speaking my mind. I am willing to represent the feelings of those who are unhappy in PAS,” he added.
He said the insistence from Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim that non-Muslims are allowed to use the word in Malay-language bibles runs contrary to the PAS Syura Council’s stance on the matter.
“It shows how much regard Anwar has for PAS’ religious credentials. We are disappointed with his decision,” he added.
Secondly, DAP’s lack of sensitivity towards PAS is another thing which has undermined the ties down the line in Pakatan, Hafiz said.
He said there is no harm for Anwar to seek for the Pakatan leadership council to review their earlier stance that non-Muslims can use the word.
It is also good for DAP to allow PAS to explain things, especially on how the council arrived at the decision to extol that it is best that non-Muslims refrained from using the word Allah.
Hafiz said the grassroots members foremost loyalty is towards PAS, and not Pakatan, as their membership is based on Islam’s struggle.
