PAS must focus on substance
PAS must also realise that it is heading towards tumultuous years ahead, carrying bruises of perceived underperformance in the 13th General Election, most evidently by its loss of the state of Kedah.
Radziq Jalaludin, TMI
The ulama-professional dichotomy in PAS has been the subject of interest and intense debate within the party in the last few years. This debate has once again manifested in the wake of the upcoming muktamar (or general assembly).
To some, this debate is unwanted and unproductive, but to others this is indeed a crucial discourse that will shape the future of PAS. The result of this discourse will affect the way delegates at the muktamar are likely to vote.
I do not wish to enter the fray by taking sides because I believe that the more pertinent issue is the need to reconstruct the terms of this debate. PAS members should not make their choice simply based on whether the ulama or professionals are more competent to helm the party.
Rather, the debate should be reframed and should be about ascertaining the leadership qualities of a leader and not his appearance or ideological position alone. I also believe that it is imperative that PAS focus its attention on strengthening its capabilities to govern.
To start with, who is an “ulama” and who is a “professional”? Evidently there is no clear answer. However, there is an informal segmentation of the people (read: potential candidate for party leaders) within the party.
This segmentation is rather arbitrary and judgmental. At the discretion of those preaching the idea of the importance to make a stance on the debate, is the pitiful end in mere labelling of the “other side”. This suggests that the very notion of the debate lacks a solid foundation to even merit a useful discourse.
As such, PAS delegates should not be drawn into this debate. Instead, they must exercise caution in ensuring that they do not just view potential office holders from the prism of this divide.
Additionally, PAS members should now start to objectively evaluate the qualities needed for one to be an effective leader. In doing so, PAS members must turn a blind eye towards the “labels” attached to candidates.
PAS members should up the ante by voting in leaders who not only qualify to lead the party but, more importantly, leaders who could lead the nation as a whole.
This would also inevitably lead to another polemic of giving the right meaning to “quality”. We can expect many views coming from many vantage points, asserting their own meaning to the word “quality”. This could create an intense debate in the party, but this debate is not only important but necessary. Members will postulate their views so that others could try to understand or at least to agree to disagree, subject to the party being matured enough to allow discussion to flow without any quarters trying to suppress it by resorting to calling it un-Islamic.
