‘Don’t assume non-Muslims accept Islamic agenda’

The unity within the Pakatan Rakyat coalition is under threat, warns political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian

GEORGE TOWN: PAS’ relentless pursuit of its Islamic agenda could cost Pakatan Rakyat the non-Muslim votes in the next general election.
Ultimately, it would dent the coalition’s ‘Putrajaya’ goal, warned political scientist Sivamurugan Pandian from Universiti Sains Malaysia.
He said the current friction between Pakatan allies PAS and DAP over the ban on gambling activities in Kelantan had indicated a split within the coalition.
“This could cost Pakatan its non-Muslim votes and Putrajaya if the controversy is not resolved soon,” he warned.
He said Pakatan should realise that many non-Muslims voted for the coalition candidates in the last election merely to express their dislike for Barisan Nasional, especially Umno.
He pointedly noted that non-Muslim voters even backed PAS despite having reservation about the party’s religious agenda.
He said that the 12th general election was more of an emotional backlash against BN and Umno.
Thus, he said PAS should not have this misconception that non-Muslims have accepted its Islamic agenda.
He said any move by PAS to implement its Islamic policies would backfire on the party and Pakatan as well.
“PAS insistence on its Islamic agenda would alienate non-Muslims from Pakatan,” warned Sivamurugan, the deputy dean of USM’s School of Social Sciences.
Ideologically Islamist PAS and Chinese based DAP are far apart.
Public spats
Both parties were brought together under Pakatan umbrella by the multiracial politic based PKR, led by parliamentary opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, for mutual electoral gains.
But, since the last general election in 2008, PAS and DAP have been involved in several public spats over the Islamist party’s religious agenda.
PAS and DAP are currently having a public row over the gambling ban imposed by PAS government in Kelantan.
Previously, both parties had several public rows, including the ‘beer controversy’ in Selangor among others.
He said PAS Islamic agenda would not go down well with urban electorates, especially the fence sitters, comprising people from all religious and ethnic backgrounds.
He said the fence sitters were more broadminded and demanded good governance and social justice, not religious or racist agenda.
Sivamurugan however, believed the controversy could be resolved if only PKR had effectively executed its role as the coalition leading party.
Selfish pursuits

He said PKR should have insisted on all Pakatan state governments in Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan implementing policies based on the coalition’s common policy framework (CPF).
“But this never took place and the CPF now remains in archives,” he told FMT.
He chided that instead of being the main political bridge within Pakatan, PKR had been hapless and helpless on resolving the arising controversies between its partners.
He blamed intense internal politicking as the main reason for PKR failing to execute its role as the main thrust of Pakatan.
“This would also dampen public confidence because many Malaysians see and want PKR as the leader in Pakatan’s march to Putrajaya,” he said.
He also pointed out that both PAS and DAP seemed more keen on strengthening their own positions with their traditional voters and not that of Pakatan as a coalition.
They appeared to want to leave PKR, which is besieged with its own internal crises.
“The coalition strength and unity are under threat now.
“This does not augur well for Pakatan,” cautioned the academician.