PAS Poll – Clear Battle Between Fundamentalist and Liberals For No 2 And VPs

The lines are drawn between the fundamentalists and liberals or popularly known as the Erdogans in the upcoming PAS election as the final list of contestants finalized and ready to go.

The deputy president post sees incumbent Mohamad Sabu or Mat Sabu being challenged by Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah – a clear cut one-to-one battle that see which way the party is going in the future depending on who wins.

Similar battle line is also seen for the vice-president posts where the three incumbents Datuk Husam Musa, Datuk Mahfuz Omar and Sallehuddin Ayud being challenged by fundamentalist party information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrhaim Tuan Man and  Ulamak council member Abu Bakar Chik.

The party has been split between the veteran fundamentalists and liberals the past decade with each faction pulling the party the way each wanted to the extent that party members are equally split to each fraction.
The veteran fundamentalists have been helming the party based on its struggle in championing Islam with the objective of setting up an Islamic state and implementation of Hudud while the liberals are more interested in winning the general election and helm Putrajaya.

The Islamic party has been working together with DAP since the 80s in every general election but their co-operation has always been on the surface – fielding candidates on constituencies based on racial majority where each did not question the other’s philosophy and concept.

However, the party was put in a fragile situation when Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) came into being, where the party has been put to test on several basic principles which saw the party in awkward positions at times.
In doing so, the party leadership has been ‘playing tug-of-war’ with the liberals supporting the PKR and DAP on several sensitive issues regarding Islam while the fundamentalists veterans continue with their stand, opposing the statements made by the liberals.

However, the ‘splitting of hairs and difference in opinions’ is expected to end with the upcoming party polls as both factions have put up their men where party delegates will have to decide for once who they want to lead the party.

As the party president’s post is unchallenged where incumbent Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang won uncontested, the deputy president and three vice-presidents posts are now the focus for delegates to determine which faction should steer the party future path.

Incumbent deputy president Mat Sabu is known to be aligned to PKR de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and being tagged a liberal, he is facing a veteran fundamentalist Mohd Amar who had gone against Mat Sabu and Husam in wanting the party members to support Anwar’s rally dubbed the Black Out 505 in May.

The contest is a straight liberal versus fundamentalist with no holds barred which will give the 2,000-odd delegates a clear cut ‘who’s who to vote for’.

For vice-presidents, the three incumbents are up against two fundamentalists who delegates knew all of them well and what they have been struggling for and how thye have contributed to the party.

However, this coming party election is no ‘walk on the park event’ for delegates as the lines and pictures are clear that it is between the liberals and fundamentalists which will dictate the future path of the party.