PAS Runs Out Of Issues In Run-up To GE13 - Observers

After associating itself with the DAP, PAS seems to be no longer vocal in its election 'ceramah' (talks) on its proclaimed intention to introduce the 'hudud' (Islamic penal law) in the country.

The PAS' ceramah are confined to the issues of petroleum royalty, of accusing Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders of being corrupt, of Umno being purportedly unIslamic, of Umno rejecting hudud, of the Election Commission (EC) not being transparent, of rising prices of goods and belittling the federal government's 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M).

Most of the issues are raised repeatedly despite clarifications having been made by the federal government, Kelantan Umno and the EC.

This writer, who has covered several elections in Kelantan since the mid-1990s, found PAS to be always harping on the establishment of an Islamic state and the implementation of the hudud.

But, the situation is different now. The party's ceramah no longer emphasise its original struggle of setting up an Islamic state and implementing the hudud.

PAS, the DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) are in a loose pact called Pakatan Rakyat.

Wan Ismail Wan Ahmad, 87, a former secretary of the Kelantan Dewan Ulama (Council of Islamic Scholars) and a founding member of Kelantan PAS, said PAS had forsaken the noble values of Islam purely due to its obsession to make it to Putrajaya and after having associated itself with the DAP which he felt was against Islam.

PAS is also seen as attempting to respond to issues raised by several non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including on land, uncontrolled logging, protests by the Orang Asli in Hulu Kelantan affected by the opening of plantations and pollution of water supply.

So, it is not surprising to find hardcore leaders and members of PAS leaving the party due to disappointment with the party leadership, as was the case when 300 members in the Tawang state constituency joined Umno recently.

The head of the group, Rosli Md Noor, 46, who was the former secretary of the Tawang PAS division sports and welfare committee, said they left PAS and joined Umno after realising that the party had deviated from its struggle.

Nadi Rakyat Malaysia Religious Bureau chairman Rujhan Abdul Rahman said PAS seemed to have run out of issues after joining the opposition pact.

"So, PAS goes back to using religious issues like saying the voters are answerable in the hereafter if they change the PAS government in Kelantan. But, its original struggle seems to have been buried after joining the pact," he told Bernama.

As such, he said, PAS was seen to be more inclined to cursing and berating Umno leaders.

"Today, we can see for ourselves how Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat issues statements that can confuse Muslims. He has even said that the prayers of Umno members will not be rewarded," he said.

He said that of late, PAS had reached a point where it was dying due to its partnership with the DAP which he felt openly opposed PAS' struggle to set up an Islamic state and implement hudud.

"If it is true that the DAP may face deregistration by the Registrar of Societies (over its alleged party election irregularity), why does DAP want to use the PAS logo and not PKR's? Here, we see that PAS is in the firm grip of the DAP or the DAP may have information which makes PAS fear it," he said.

Rujhan criticised PAS leaders who continued to claim that 'PAS is Islam, and Islam is PAS' to the extent of confusing the people in its attempt to garner support in the 13th General Election.

"Today, they claim that 'PAS is Islam, and Islam is PAS'; this is a political decree, not a religious one. How can Islam be PAS when PAS is nowhere else? How about in the Arab nations where there is no PAS?" he said.

He said it was hoped that society would not be duped by these claims because PAS was only a political party which portrayed itself as a champion of Islam when it was actually sacrificing Islam.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Umno Liaison Committee deputy chairman Datuk Dr Awang Adek Husin said only hardcore PAS supporters still believed that voting for PAS was a ticket to heaven but young voters, fence-sitters and the intellectuals were not so easily duped.

Awang Adek also claimed that two PAS women's wing members visited the homes of Wanita Umno members recently and offered RM500 for them to vote for PAS.