Is GHB here to stay or will it eventually fizzle out?

Heading GHB is Mohamad Sabu – bet­ter known by his moniker Mat Sabu – who lost to Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man for the post of deputy president in PAS. Among those with him are Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, Khalid Samad and Salahuddin Ayub. The trio, like Mat Sabu, are progressives but also losers in the tussle for leadership in the party. Salahuddin was vice-president while Mujahid and Khalid were members of the central committee.

Just before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, they announced the formation of GHB. And just after Raya, they launched a nationwide tour with a rally in Kangar, Perlis.

It is undeniable that the progressives among the Malays are excited about the new party. But for all intents and purposes, GHB is just another splinter group. There are many in Malaysia’s history, some of which have emerged as forces to be reckoned with, but most have had little or no impact.

GHB has the option to register as a new party but it may be some time before the Registrar of So­cieties (RoS) gives its approval. A second and speedier option is for its leaders to join an existing party and take over its leadership. One party that is open to accepting them is Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita).

PAS seems to have been the most success­ful of the many parties formed by splinter groups.

The party did fairly well in the 2013 general election. It garnered 21 seats in Parliament but several of its MPs have now opted to join GHB. PAS has more than a million card-carrying members.

PAS lost Kelantan in the 1978 elections but regained the state in 1990. It still rules the state today.

Even before the PAS muktamar in June that saw a resurgence of theulama faction, friction within the party was already ob­vious. Party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s failure to reject outright overtures from Umno to form a unity government alienated him from the progressives within the party.

For the clerics, who fear that Muslims may lose political clout if their Pakatan Rakyat allies DAP and PKR take over in Putrajaya, cooperation with Umno was an attractive option.

But for the progressives, the sense of betrayal by Umno when it was sacked from Barisan in 1977 remains fresh in the mind. Furthermore, PAS will likely end up playing second fiddle to Umno if it returns to Barisan.

Outside Barisan, PAS is still a formida­ble force. It commands extensive support in the conservative Muslim heartland of the east coast states. That would be the greatest challenge for the GHB.

At least 18 PAS senior leaders have voiced their intention to be a part of GHB or expressed their support for the movement.

Its main objective now is to become a viable replacement for PAS in Pakatan. Unlike PAS, it is prepared to open its doors to non-Muslims based on the principles of “inclusiveness, progressiveness and concern for the people”.

But, political analyst Wan Saiful Wan Jan warns, it will be a mistake for GHB to posi­tion itself as a replacement for PAS. “They must be careful not to sell themselves as a direct competitor to PAS,” he says.

“By selling themselves as a party with similar ideals with PAS means that they will be pitting themselves not just against their bigger political rivals but against PAS as well,” says the chief executive officer of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs.

He points out that it will not be easy for GHB to garner grassroots support, but it would be a better strategy if they are seen as different from PAS or other parties in Malaysia.

“GHB must be able to attract not just mem­bers of PAS but also progressives and supporters of Umno, PKR, Gerakan and Sarawak’s Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) to make an impact. This is the only way that they will be able to add value to Malaysian politics,” Wan Saiful adds.