What is Pasma’s real objective?
Zubaidah Abu Bakar, The Rakyat Post
NOT much is known about Kedah PAS leader Datuk Phahrolrazi Zawawi, who claims to be the president of Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia or Pasma, a new non-governmental organisation made up mostly of PAS members purportedly out to ensure the Islamist party stays in Pakatan Rakyat.
How and why the former Kedah state executive council member and current Pengkalan Kundor assemblyman got himself involved in the organisation that was purportedly formed in the light of the Selangor Menteri Besar fiasco has become debatable issues among the PAS rank and file.
To most Pakatan Rakyat supporters, Phahrolrazi is remembered for the failed coup attempts against former Kedah Menteri Besar Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak, a result of internal power struggle that largely contributed to the PAS-led state government being toppled by Barisan Nasional in the last general election.
Pasma, that is if Phahrorazi’s words uttered at the NGO’s first public event at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall recently are to be accepted at face value, has no intention to become a splinter of PAS as its main intention is to strengthen PAS’ position in Pakatan Rakyat.
As all would have seen, the event that was attended by some 500 Pakatan Rakyat supporters, had turned into a Hadi-bashing session with some participants questioning the PAS leadership over the handling of the Selangor Menteri Besar crisis as well calling for action against PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
The event’s venue, too, had come under scrutiny; if Pasma is indeed meant to complement PAS, why was the event not organised at PAS’ own venue, the party’s former headquarters in Taman Melewar?
The Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall is where the liberals in PAS usually gather in solidarity with Pakatan Rakyat allies in fighting for varies causes.
These being the backdrop, it is no wonder there were people who believed they had witnessed the birth of a movement opposing the ulama/conservatives backed leadership of Hadi.
In the protracted Selangor Menteri Besar issue, the conservatives led by Hadi have no qualms in accepting any decision to be made by the Sultan of Selangor on who should replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as Menteri Besar, including from among PAS assemblymen while the liberals are all for PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The rank and file in PAS are equally highly suspicious of Pasma — of its real objective and of party leaders who are behind it amid talk that disgruntled PAS members have started the groundwork to transform the NGO into a breakaway party.
The rumble in PAS over the Selangor Menteri Besar crisis had sparked speculation that Pasma is about to take a similar parth as Adil, the NGO formed a few months before it became Parti Keadilan Nasional (Keadilan), which is now Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
PAS’ breakaway parties were all formed by the more liberal group; Berjasa was formed in 1977 led by Datuk Mohamad Nasir and later Datuk Asri Muda left the party to form Hamim in 1983, and both are now inactive.
The fact that Pasma was registered in Jitra, Kedah last Aug 11 and held its first meeting in Kota Baru, Kelantan on Merdeka Day had raised questions over the hands behind Pasma.
And the finger was pointing to none other than PAS leaders known to be Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s loyalists or the Erdogans or Anwarinas as they are often labelled by the ulama/conservatives in the party.
PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa was earlier slated to be one of the panelists at the gathering at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, but cancelled his appearance. PAS central committee member and Parit Buntar Member of Parliament Dr Mujahid Yusof, who like Husam is linked to the pro-Anwar group, was one of the panelists, and this is certainly telling.
Former Syura Council member Ahmad Awang, who was also slotted as a panel member, had distanced himself from Pasma.
Ahmad was named Pasma’s Mursyidul Am or spiritual leader in the list of office bearers being circulated on social media.
In this list also Husam was said to be the president of Pasma and one, Muhammad Husin, the deputy Mursyidul Am.
The Registrar of Societies (RoS) has confirmed Pasma’s status as an NGO, whose purpose is to carry out community welfare activities and charitable works and the irony is that Phahrolrazi is not Pasma’s president.
The registered office-bearers instead are Mohamad Faiz Mohd Taib as president, his deputy Muhamad Hisomudin Bakar, secretary Mohd Taib Ahmad, treasurer Mohd Rosli Abu Bakar and three others who are committee members.
It’s just baffling
Pasma has emerged amid talk of the possibility of PAS going solo through a new resolution at the forthcoming party annual muktamar or general assembly. The current political cooperation that PAS has entered into with Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP was endorsed by the party’s muktamar.
It is about to launch a road show to recruit members and the first state-level launch will be in Temerloh, Pahang where former Youth chief and Hadi’s staunch supporter, Nasruddin Hassan, is the Member of Parliament.
Will Pasma gain the momentum it has set out to achieve?
