Most fiery PAS Muktamar on the cards this year

Zubaidah Abu Bakar, The Rakyat Post

PAS leaders have always insisted there is no dichotomy among the party’s one million members.

The party, however, has gotten used to having outsiders portray its leaders as divided between the ulama and professionals, or the conservatives and moderates/liberals.

Even the party’s icon Tok Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who heads the influential consultative council of religious scholars or Majlis Syura Ulama, has dismissed such references, insisting that the backgrounds of PAS leaders today show they are both ulama and professionals.

“These days, our ulama are also professionals, while our professionals are also ulama,” the party’s Mursyidul Am or spiritual leader told this writer some years back during an interview ahead of party elections, the time when the so-called ulama versus professionals clash often came to the fore.

The ulama label refers to conservative alim (persons knowledgeable in religion) and the so-called “professionals” describe the reformists, who are adept at other fields, and include the academics, doctors, architects and engineers, who are among those who moved up the ranks to hold key posts, helping PAS to soften the Islamist party’s orthodox and militant image.

Even party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, known as a hardliner in his younger days, has mellowed to embrace new political realities.

Many of the professionals who joined PAS after the sacking of former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998, may be without formal religious education but they, as described by Nik Aziz, understand Islam and abide by its teachings.

A convergence of the two groups has been achieved to some extent and is reflected in the party membership and leadership at the grassroots, state and national levels.

Clashes of opinions between these groups, like what we are witnessing today — spark from differing opinions over the party’s decision related to the Selangor menteri besar crisis, occurs now and then, straining the party’s vaunted unity and discipline.

These internal crises, no matter how intense the situations were in the past, had been resolved, evaporating as quickly as they appear.

Top party leaders believe the ongoing clash between the two groups will not cause a major split, what more an uprising of detractors of the party president or a coup as speculated, likely by political enemies, as PAS heads for its 60th annual assembly or Muktamar in Johor.

There has been such talk though.

The sudden emergence of Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (Pasma) has fuelled all sorts of speculation — one being that Hadi will be asked or forced to step down by the delegates.

The non-governmental organisation had been actively holding public gatherings that were attended mostly by PAS members and supporters wanting to see the party in the political mainstream, fighting to enter Putrajaya alongside its allies Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP.

There is simply a lot of suspicion over Pasma’s objectives as several senior party leaders are said to be behind the NGO.

Talk that about 30% of the current PAS’ central committee members, and they are the moderates/liberal type, is causing uneasiness on the opposing faction.

The “Geng Ustaz” has also been touring the states, ahead of the Muktamar to deflate a possible uprising against the party president.

Their role is none other but to consolidate support for the party president who has been under attacks from within and from Pakatan Rakyat supporters.

There has been no application for a motion against Hadi either, although an emergency motion is still possible.

The party president, however, is bracing for a rebellion of sorts and he is prepared. No doubt about this.

He is expecting to be criticised by some outspoken delegates for making a unilateral decision that goes against the party’s central committee. Hadi nominated PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her deputy Mohamed Azmin Ali for the Selangor menteri besar post while the committee sent a list of nominees from PAS.

There will again be calls for PAS to leave Pakatan Rakyat, as in previous Muktamar since PAS entered into a political cooperation with PKR and DAP to form the loose pact.

Will the Muktamar overturn the previous decision to remain in the Opposition pact?

The Ulama and Youth assemblies are expected to be fiery as party leaders have differing views on the powers of the party president as well as the Majlis Syura Ulama as both wings — the youth wing leadership being also dominated by the clerics, are set to take a defensive stand over the issues.

What transpires at both assemblies (Pemuda set for today and tomorrow and Ulama set for tomorrow) and the presidential speech by Hadi at the opening of the Muktamar on Thursday will set the tone of the Muktamar with the most apt theme “Terus Beristiqamah”.

While the theme calls for party leaders and member to “Istiqamah” or follow the party’s true path, allowing no deviation, it is also necessary they put the call for “muhasabah diri” (self-assessment) into action first.