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Friday 15 May 2009

'Allow child of converts to follow Islam'

To allow children of converts to follow the Islamic faith is expected to be hotly debated during the election meet by Perak Pas Wanita Council in Taiping on Sunday.

Pas Wanita Council vice-president Amizan Baharudin told Malaysiakini in a phone interview that this is one of the hot resolutions submitted by the Bukit Gantang Pas Wanita division to be debated and discussed during the meet.

"We want the Federal Government to allow children of converted parents to follow the Islam faith as stated in the Quran and a consensus will be reached on the matter."

Up for grabs are the Wanita chief post now held by Bariah Alang Sapri, deputy post held by Munirah Athrah Hassan Ali and vice post held by Amizan.

Bariah and Munirah had held their posts for two terms ( four years each) while Amizan is a one term holder (two years).

Also in the election fry are 18 executive council posts ( 10 posts are elected while eight are appointed).

Not ulamas, but professional ulamas


Amizan said that young blood are encouraged to join the party to give more say for the younger generation in the council political activities. pas workers bukit gantang 070409

Asked if challenges are expected for the top three posts, Amizan said: "We will discuss and resolve in a friendly and family manner if there are challenges. It will not be a all-out war for the top three posts, unlike other state political parties during their elections."

She said that a total of 300 members including 192 delegates will be attending the election meet. The remaining 108 delegates would be observers. There are eight delegates from each of the 24 division wings in the state.

The meet is expected to be officiated by Pas Wanita national vice president Siti Zailah Yusof. Other high-profile politicians that are expected to attend include state Pas chief Ustaz Ahmad Awang, Pakatan Rakyat Mentri Besar and Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and his wife Datin Seri Fatimah Taat.

Amizan also said Pas national leadership can have a professional ulama who is religious to lead the party in the coming national party election. She said this when asked to comment on Pas Ulama Council chief Datuk Mohamed Daud statement recently that the Ulama council wants only ulamas to fill the national party's two top posts.

Daud had expressed his concern that if professionals are allowed to lead the party, they might compromise the party and its Islamic principles.

Amizan said that the Perak Wanita is also against the dynasty system of succession in political parties whereby a son succeeds the father's post.

She said what is more important is for the party to choose leaders who are committed to the party's principles and ideologies and look after the welfare of its members.

She was commenting on Pas spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's only son Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz fall from grace from the party after criticising his father's advisers as ‘pembantu sesat' (people who provide inaccurate information) in his blog.

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