Why ‘Protestant’ PAN opposes ‘Catholic’ PAS
The split in PAS and the creation of PAN a.k.a. Amanah has nothing to do with Islamic ideology but is due to politics and how Islam should play a role in politics and whether there should be a separation of church and state
(MMO) – Despite its roots, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) leaders insist they are not ideologically identical to Islamist party PAS as they are fighting for a “progressive and inclusive Islam”.
Responding to claims by MCA earlier this week, the leaders from the PAS offshoot also said Amanah has time and again proved their different stance and approach to key issues.
“We are different from PAS because we promote progressiveness of Islam, in line with the multi racial fabric of our country,” Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
Salahuddin said that Amanah was formed by leaders who left PAS precisely because of the ideological differences, as they left to pursue their ideology regarding a progressive and inclusive version of Islam.
He also stressed that Amanah had differed from PAS in key policy issues, even the ones concerning Islam.
“For example, for the Shariah Bill amendment, one of our members put in our own proposal and motion, so the approach is clearly different,” he said.
READ: Who Are Progressive Muslims, And What Do They Believe?
Salahuddin invited MCA leaders to come and “have tea” with Amanah members to understand the two-year-old party better.
Amanah strategy director Dzulkefly Ahmad also echoed Salahuddin’s view.
“Admittedly we have got clear differences, not so much in terms of Islam itself, but the methodology on how to advocate and advance the Islamic message,” he told Malay Mail Online.
“Our raison d’etre was to always continue what we had achieved so far in PAS [prior to the split]. That was very clear,” he added.
Dzulkefly also pointed out that Amanah differed from PAS in policy matters.
“In terms of the Shariah Bill amendment, we have said that we believe in a solution that beyond punitive and punishment centred,” he said.
“When it comes to the issue of usage of Allah [by non-Muslims], we made a clear stand when we were with PAS itself, and we were vilified for that,” he added.
Dzulkefly said that MCA was “aloof” for equating Amanah to PAS without understanding the factors that caused the parties to split back in 2015.
“It just shows they have not been following the development in local politics,” he said.
MCA’s publicity bureau chief Datuk Chai Kim Sen made the claim about the similarities between both parties while criticising DAP for supporting Amanah’s Datuk Husam Musa to be the next Kelantan Meteri Besar should Pakatan Harapan win the state in the next elections.
