PAS Deputy President Post Contest Will See The Party Future Direction

PAS election on Nov 22 will see a clash between the fundamentalist group and the liberals at the deputy president level as the fundamentalist strive to sustain its power and the liberals scramble to untie the knots of fundamentalism.

Incumbent Datuk Mohamad Sabu or popularly known as Mat Sabu is expected to crumble under the onslaught of fellow liberal Datuk Husam Musa and fundamentalist Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.

The outcome of the election will dictate which direction the party will take – liberalism with the original party struggle in upholding Islamic cause and setting up an Islamic state come second or fundamentalism with relationship with DAP and Parti keadilan Rakyat (PKR) reviewed.

For PKR de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar brahim, he would wish the liberals win the deputy presidency where he can then have control on the path of the Islamic party.

Mat Sabu and Husam are with the liberals while Tuan Ibrahim and Mohd Amar are from the fundamentalists, both sides throwing their best candidates for the 2,000-odd delegates to the party assembly to choose.
Husam is trying hard to win the post as his ‘political life’ in Kelantan is as good as over when he was not picked as an exco member in the state and following which his followers had staged a demonstration against the Mentri Besar.

Few months later, Husam had questioned the performance of state related companies which then created a row between him and the fundamentalists who are govern the state.

This election is a do or die battle for Husam because a lost will put him in political oblivion and a win will put him in a much better position to further strengthen PAS relationship with PKR.

It is understood that this time around, the party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who have been declared unopposed, would not appoint Husam to the central committee given the sour ties between him (husam) and other leaders in the party (who are the fundamentalist).

Mohd Amar had been at loggerheads with the liberals particularly Husam and other liberals on issues concerning the party ideology which the fundamentalists have been defending while the liberals have been compromising.

The issues included the use of word Allah and the latest DAP Karpal Singh’s call for the government to abolish all political race-based and religious-based parties and NGOs which included PAS.

Moreover, the party ties with PKR and DAP has not been smooth and cosy as issues concerning Islam have been on the rise lately which created frictions between DAP and PAS fundamentalists but not the liberals in PAS who did not ‘utter a word’ when those issues cropped up.

This has created further rift between the fundamentalists and liberals in the party.
Given the situation, the deputy president’s post is expected to be the focus and hotly contested post on Nov 22 as delegates decide whether to go liberal or fundamentals.