PAS playing dangerous game

If PAS continues with its 'Islam superior' stance, there is little chance for Pakatan to win big in the May 5 general election dubbed as the 'mother of all elections'.
COMMENT

Islamic party PAS cannot distinguish the tree from the woods with its stubbornness in wanting only a Muslim leader to serve as prime minister.

In his pre-election ceramah or speech recently, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the party stand was that only Muslims can be the prime minister of this country.

Saying that anybody can be a minister regardless of whether the person was a Muslim or a non-Muslim if the opposition pact under the Pakatan Rakyat banner formed the next government after the May 5 general election, Abdul Hadi added:

“Non-Muslims can work with Muslims to administer this country on condition the prime minister must be a Muslim.

“The person in charge of policies must be a Muslim in an Islamic nation. If he is a non-Muslim, then he should embrace Islam.

“For instance, for the Works Minister’s post, if the person picked is a non-Muslim, but he has the knowledge and expertise in road and building construction, we will appoint him, but we will not appoint a non-Muslim to take charge of mosques.”

With only days to go before Malaysians step out to choose the government of their choice, Hadi’s defiance and acerbic remarks have not gone down well with Malaysians.

But then Hadi is not alone. PAS deputy spiritual leader Haron Din says that hudud will take effect if Pakatan comes into power upon winning the 13th general election.

PAS’ move to implement hudud never sat well with DAP, but Haron could not care less and says hudud it is if Pakatan makes it to Putrajaya, regardless of whether DAP is against the move.

“I’m confident that DAP will accept hudud because of its willingness to contest under the PAS symbol. However, this can only be done after Pakatan is given the mandate to rule the country.

“Pakatan must take over the federal government. Only then can we amend the (Federal) Constitution to implement hudud,” Haron had said.

Haron, who is the candidate for the Arau parliamentary seat, is of the opinion that Pakatan parties must “give and take” in order to work together.

Whose cause is PAS championing?

PAS a few years ago had enacted hudud (prescribed Islamic penalties) in Kelantan, to be imposed only on Muslims who represent about 90% of the state’s 1.5 million population.

The laws introduced Syariah punishments for theft, robbery, adultery, liquor consumption and apostasy.

It is not just hudud. Haron also wants DAP to concur with PAS’ decision not to allow the use of the term “Allah” by non-Muslims.

Looks like both Hadi and Haron have forgotten that their existence as politicians is not to serve vested interests but that of the rakyat.

If PAS continues with its “Islam superior” stance, there is little chance for Pakatan to win big in the May 5 general election dubbed as the “mother of all elections”.

It is not just the hudud and “only Muslim prime minister” that PAS has set its sight on. The party’s “new kid on the block”, the former Selangor menteri besar, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, has wasted no time in declaring that Islam is the way of life, saying that all Muslim women should wear the tudung.

Muhammad, the former Umno vice-president, is unhappy that Muslim women newsreaders and schoochildren did not wear the tudung.

“They say Islam, but look at the newsreaders not wearing headscarves. They say Islam, but there are schoolchildren who wear skirts,” Muhammad was quoted by Bernama as saying.

Not only that, Muhammad thinks he has “seen the light” when he remarked that albeit its development, Selangor’s progress was one that lacked “soul” which had resulted in the (moral) decline among children of affluent families in the cities.

How Muhammad came to that conclusion is anyone’s guess. If he blames the Selangor government for the moral decay of its children, whom does he assign blame to in the case of off-springs of politicians going astray, indulging in vices of all sorts?

Will Muhammad dare blame the federal government over its failure in emphasising “soul” in the success of the nation?

In case Muhammad forgets, moral decay was present way back during his 11-year tenure as Selangor menteri besar when he eloped with the then Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah’s daughter, Tengku Puteri Zaharia Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah to Thailand where they reportedly got married.

It was also Muhammad who claimed that he could not understand English to escape sentencing after he was charged in Australia over currency irregularities amounting to RM3.8 million – an incident which forced him to resign as Selangor menteri besar.

It is another matter that an investigative committee later found that the court had erred in its judgment.

Was Muhammad’s “reputation” good enough for PAS to welcome him on board to help enlighten fellow Muslims out there?

PAS has to stop being dogmatic

The general election is only days away and no thanks to remarks coming from Hadi, Haron and Muhammad, the rakyat’s willingness to support PAS is questionable.

Instead of a display of arrogance, it will do PAS much good if it took the trouble to understand the needs and sentiments of the people and not court one controversy after another through its scandalous edicts.

While PAS remains adamant over the hudud issue its ally in Pakatan, the DAP, insists that it rejects PAS’ proposed hudud.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh in reacting to Haron’s statement said: “PAS allowing us to use its party logo does not mean we have shifted our stand on the establishment of an Islamic state or hudud.”

Karpal said the introduction of hudud would mean a system with two laws, “which is impossible to impose”.

“Although PAS has said hudud is only for Muslims, the implementation of two systems will cause conflicts and chaos,” Karpal said.

“If PAS wants to amend the Federal Constitution, DAP or PKR will not allow it. I don’t think PAS would insist on amending the Federal Constitution,” he added.

That said, if PAS refuses to mellow down and settle for a political compromise by way of toning down on its demands, there is little hope that Pakatan will succeed gloriously in the much talked- about 13th general election.

The verdict is clear: should PAS choose to disrespect the wishes of the rakyat, the show of disunity taking place is sure to end up in BN’s favour.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.