Now Erdogan is a dirty word meaning pariah
In the past, Erdogan meant progressive, liberal, tolerant, a person who is better than an Islamist, someone who we can depend on to check fundamentalist and conservative Muslims, a friend of DAP. Erdogan also meant all those good people who left PAS to form PAN under DAP’s sponsorship. Now, since a few days ago, Erdogan is a dirty word meaning pariah.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Ulama-‘Erdogan’ tension within PAS
Farish A. Noor, The Malaysian Times (Jan 2013)
THE recent controversy over the use of the word “Allah” by Christians in Malaysia has raised questions about its impact on the political strategy of the Islamic party, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), in the run-up to the 13th general election expected any time between now and April 28.
The extensive media coverage of the Allah issue in Malaysia was sparked by a speech given by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) leader and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng during Christmas celebrations last December. His defence of the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims to denote God met with a strong reaction from several quarters which insisted that the word “Allah” should be reserved for Muslims only. DAP’s ally PAS initially supported Mr Lim’s position but then shifted its stance when its council of religious scholars declared that the word should be restricted to Muslims only.
It’s an Erdogan vs ulama showdown
The power struggle between the ulama and Erdogans in PAS will be played out in the contest for the No 2 post between Mohamad Sabu and Datuk Nik Amar Nik Abdullah.
Joceline Tan, The Star (Nov 2013)
DATUK Nik Aziz Nik Mat’s son Nik Abduh is known for having political opinions that are quite independent of his father’s politics. But as many people would know by now, Nik Abduh is, at heart, a filial and respectful son.
Last Friday, the 82-year-old PAS mursyidul am was unwell and could not make it for his weekly Friday morning lecture at the PAS headquarters in Kota Baru. He asked Nik Abduh to stand in for him.
Nik Abduh, who is a splitting image of his father, was the right man for the job – he is the Pasir Mas MP, the deputy PAS Youth chief and a religious scholar in his own right.
But there was more to it than just giving a lecture on behalf of his father – Nik Aziz also asked his son to deliver a “special message” which is now the talk of PAS circles in Kelantan.
Erdogans in PAS keep party away from becoming Umno, says leader
Malay Mail Online (Nov 2013)
PAS needs to elect professionals to its new leadership to balance out the influence of the party’s ulama or religious cleric faction, the party’s prominent non-Muslim leader Hu Pang Chow has said.
If PAS fails to keep the professionals in the November 2 polls, Hu warned that the Islamist party would risk turning into another Umno, a rival that he said was controlled by conservative members.
“From the non-Muslim point of view, we would love to see the combination of ulama and professionals in the new line-up.
“If the president is already ulama, then the non-Muslim community would like to see a non-ulama become the second man,” the chairman of the non-Muslim PAS Supporters Congress (DHPP) wing was quoted saying by The Star Online.
