A growing convergence over hudud in Malaysia?
These developments have heightened the Islamic factor in Malaysian politics. It marks a new trend in which PAS and UMNO are inching closer on issues of Islamic governance, the outcome of which cannot be easily predicted given conflicting signals from both key actors, especially UMNO.
Yang Razali Kassim, Today Online
Issues relating to Islam and governance look set to dominate the Malaysian consciousness this year.
Fresh developments at the end of 2013 set the agenda for relations between the country’s two Muslim-based parties — the politically-dominant United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the opposition Islamist party, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS). Both are entering a new phase of looking for common ground over Islamic issues, while remaining historical competitors for the mindshare of the majority Malay/Muslim community.
Following the 13th national polls, PAS and UMNO convened their party elections, throwing up new leadership line-ups. While PAS continued its shift towards the centre with its slogan of Rahmat untuk Semua (“Blessings for All” or “PAS for All”), UMNO edged more to the right with its de-emphasis on 1Malaysia and a tilt towards Islam.
This has drawn heavy criticism from PAS leaders that UMNO was out to be “more fundamentalist than PAS”, even as the two competing parties probed each other for meeting points in the name of “Malay unity”, which UMNO is trying hard to lure PAS into.
What the seemingly contradictory development means is: PAS is becoming more inclusive as it broadens its base to embrace all communities, even softening its rejection of UMNO’s overture for unity talks by offering dialogue on issues of Islamic administration. UMNO, however, is becoming more exclusivist as it backtracks on its commitment to the all-embracing slogan of 1Malaysia, while it tries to expand its Malay/Islamic ground following its worst electoral showing since 1969.
Even more significantly, both parties have been converging on the issue of hudud or Islamic criminal law — something which has divided them for years. This apparent convergence has been catalysed from the outside, by Brunei’s push to implement hudud for Muslims starting this year.
At the 59th PAS Muktamar or general assembly in November, party President Hadi Awang said: “If they (UMNO) say they are committed to implement an administration based on Islam, let’s muzakarah (dialogue).” The run-up to the Muktamar had been abuzz with Brunei’s move towards the Islamic Penal Code, which had even caused some UMNO leaders to rethink their opposition to hudud in Malaysia.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim said in the same month that he was ready to debate with PAS the implementation of hudud. Encouraged by this apparent sea change in attitude — UMNO would previously not even entertain the idea — PAS leaders urged UMNO to take the lead in tabling a motion on hudud in Parliament, where the opposition does not have a majority.
To be sure, PAS has been ahead of the curve on hudud which imposes deterrent corporal punishment for theft, adultery, consumption of intoxicants and apostasy such as possible whipping, stoning and amputation of limbs.
While it has enacted the law in Kelantan state, which it controls, PAS’ push for hudud nationwide has met with resistance from its opposition partner, the Democratic Action Party. It also lacks federal support, which it would require to amend the Federal Constitution, not to mention UMNO’s backing.
Surprisingly, support for hudud in UMNO has been growing. In 2012, an UMNO politician speaking in the Johor state assembly called for its introduction in Johor, which evoked backing from PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz.
UMNO’S TURN TO ISLAMISM
Weeks after PAS’ Muktamar, UMNO convened its 64th general assembly following its party elections. It was marked by something unusual: Prime Minister and UMNO President Najib Razak declared that Syariat Islam or the Islamic Syariah would be the first of “three key take-aways” or messages from the assembly. The other two were a stronger Malay and bumiputra agenda and UMNO’s transformation into a “party of the 21st century”.
Although Mr Najib did not spell out what he meant by upholding the Syariah, it is significant that Islam was made the first of three strategic thrusts to propel UMNO towards a bigger victory in the next general election that must be called by 2018.
An ethno-nationalist party, UMNO had never been strong on Islam. Its turn towards Islam as part of its identity began in the early 1980s when then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad co-opted firebrand Islamic youth leader Anwar Ibrahim. This coincided with the start of the Islamisation of UMNO and the country, including its government administration.
While Mr Anwar was booted out in the 1990s, UMNO’s Islamisation continued, more in form than substance. Its core identity is still Malay nationalism, which by right cannot co-exist ideologically in puritan Islamist parties.
For this reason, Mr Najib’s declaration of UMNO as an upholder of the Syariah at the December assembly marked a clearer shift in the party’s identity from a pure ethno-nationalist political entity to a semi-Islamist, if not a pseudo-Islamist, party.
What he meant by his Syariah shift came under sharper focus when, soon after he spoke, Home Affairs Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi declared that UMNO would be a defender of Islam Sunnah Wal Jamaah or Sunni Islam.
UMNO would amend its party constitution to make this distinction and dropped hints it may even aim to amend the Federal Constitution in time — though this would be more difficult to achieve in view of the party’s weakened position in Parliament.
Still, in so doing, UMNO had introduced a clear divide with the Shia doctrine, which the minister controversially declared a threat to Islamic unity. Surprisingly, he even launched a verbal blitzkrieg on the PAS deputy leader, whom he did not name but accused of being a closet Shia, provoking a potential legal suit. In distancing itself from Shiism, UMNO had planted the seeds of further polarisation within the Muslim community, which has generally been homogenous faith-wise. This can backfire not only on UMNO, but also the country, given Malaysia’s aspiration to be a leader of the Islamic world.
PAS leaders have called UMNO’s stance a “political ploy”. “They are trying to say they are the ones true to the religion and not PAS,” said Mr Khalid Samad, a PAS leader.
