SHAH ALAM – Islamist party PAS is heading to its 69th muktamar (gathering) here in the strongest position it has ever been, with four states under its control while having a promising cadre and sturdy ulama leadership.
PAS was formed in 1951 as a splinter from the Malay nationalist party Umno at Butterworth, Penang – a state where it has made huge inroads in the past decade with seven state seats. This is in addition not to the 43 parliamentary seats it holds out of the total 222 in the Dewan Rakyat.
Incidentally, the party was formed in the house of fifth prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's grandfather, himself a religious scholar and former Umno president.
As the 1,800 delegates gather, there will be speeches and war cries in support of the Palestinians. There are also undercurrents wading through the party, which has close to one million members.
As this year's party biennial election has become a muted affair after PAS' central committee agreed to have no contests for the top five posts, it means that longest serving PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, a hardline cleric, will be elected unopposed.
The same goes for the soft-spoken deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, and three vice-presidents – former Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Nik Amar Nik Abdullah, Perak cleric Datuk Seri Idris Ahmad and Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
Samsuri is being watched by PAS insiders as a possible successor to the ailing Hadi.
Looking on is the most famous personality the movement has produced in the TikTok sensation, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammed Sanusi Md Nor, who is likely to receive thunderous applause when he speaks after he led PAS in the past two major polls as its elections director.
It is not that PAS won the four states last August that impresses people most.
What took people aback was the manner in which it did so as it swept the four states with two-third majorities, almost whitewashing the formidable opponent of Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) Madani national unity alliance.
Despite encountering a rash of allegations, including claims of turning a blind eye to illegal mining of rare earth elements, Sanusi has grown from strength to strength and at this rate Kedah, the birthplace of two Umno presidents (Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed), may stay under PAS for a long time as has Kelantan.
But like in any political party, there are question marks; one is on the direction the party may go after Hadi decides to call it quits, as there is no doubt he is ailing at the age of 75.
PAS has decided to remain with the junior partners of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), a party Mahathir had initiated, and Gerakan, formerly dominant in Penang.
The three parties form the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.
Sons of icons
Also, there is the poser over whether Samsuri, an accomplished technocrat, would buy into his friend Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's noble gesture of inviting PAS to be part of the unity political alliance that governs the country.
Anwar may gain the reputation of becoming the ‘Father of Unity’ as he works to shield Malaysia from impacts of external unrests like the Russia-Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflicts, China-US enmity and imported inflation.
What would become of PAS warlords in Nik Amar and Idris, especially since both are still in the ascendancy of their careers in PAS?
That is something for the party to ponder, says Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) academic Prof Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, who says that politics is fluid as anything can happen.
There are two sons of famous clerics, who remain on the sidelines.
They are Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi, the son of Hadi and Senator Nik Mohammad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz, the son of the late PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Paduka Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, its longest serving Kelantan mentri besar.
Would PAS incorporate them into the mainstream leadership?
Both Khalil and Nik Abduh do not hold high positions in PAS currently although one is the Batu Buruk assemblyman and a Terengganu executive councillor, while the other was just made a senator.
Fauzi reckoned that it is not impossible for PAS to lead the country in the next 10 to 20 years but first it must show good governance in the four states it now holds.
PAS has a golden opportunity to showcase its Islamist administration as justice and the rights of the non-Muslims must also be preserved.
"The four states must be used by PAS as a launching pad to showcase the party's ability to manage economic, environmental, social and federal needs."
There are some examples now. Religious-based schools are excelling in public examinations, while PAS shows it is disciplined enough to prevent excess infighting, Fauzi pointed out.
He said PAS still has some way to go to convince the masses that it is skillful in economic management as the four states under its custody are also ranked among the poorest in the country with many of the young forced to work outside in other states.
Future expansion
Then there are the party zealots who want PAS to strictly abide by Islamist ways to an extent. They refuse to strike compromises with the moderates in the national unity federal government.
"Politics is fluid and therefore we cannot rule out PAS in the coming 10 to 20 years.
“Ten years ago, the party was friends with DAP. Where are they today? But importantly, PAS must strive to serve the country and what better way than in growing the economy," said Fauzi.
DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong sees PAS as more of a geographically strong party with presence in northern and eastern states of the peninsula for now.
However, the party may grow in strength if its rivals for the Malay-Muslim vote – namely Umno and Anwar's PKR party – falter.
In the future, Fauzi said, PAS hardliners may no longer be around. So the party may be ripe to be part of a bigger struggle by joining a unity alliance.
"By then, Hadi or Mahathir may no longer be around," said Fauzi.
As much as PAS is dominant today, it also needs to look towards the future, especially since Hadi is marking his twentieth year as the party president. – The Vibes, October 20, 2023.
