Examining PAS objectively

Writer: Chen Jun An (translated name)
Nanyang Siang Pau, 23-06-2015

DAP announced to accept the decision of PAS to cut ties with it. This means that “PR” has ceased to exist.

Nonetheless, let us return to the PAS general assembly and examine what the president Hadi Awang said. He has said that “this incident happened due to the differences in ideologies. The ideology of PAS is Islam, DAP believes in secular socialism and PKR believes in secular pragmatism”. The meaning of his words is clear. He meant that “we have different ideologies, political goals and concepts since the very beginning, so we have no other choice than to end up in this state.”

Is this really the case? Is PAS only ideology “Islam”? Let us now refer to the history of PAS!

During the early stage when PAS has just been formed, there had already been the existence of the left wing. Its general direction, however, is anticolonialism, Jawa style populism and Malay nationalism. In its process of development, one side is getting stronger than another between the radicals and secular socialists within the party. And the traditional strong power holders are still the conservative Islamic scholars and educationists.

In 1959, they first tasted the sweet fruit of victory and took over the political power in Kelantan.

Nevertheless, in 1961, the could not live with each other’s differences and, thus, some state assemblymen have jumped ship over to Umno and caused the party to be battered severely.

The whole political situation has changed after the “513 incident” in 1969. PAS felt that it has been further sidelined. Therefore, in order to seek for a change to survive, it has finally been absorbed by Umno in 1973 and joined BN. However, this has also led to infightings of the party. In 1977, it has announced to leave BN and ended an alliance relationship of five years.

In 1982, it came up with the concept of an “Islamic state”. Following the Islamic renaissance in the Middle East, the young faction that has some backgrounds of Middle Eastern education has risen. This party then had the inclination of moving towards fundamentalism. Yet their power is weak and limited to Kelantan after all so they could only lay low. The so called policy of “Islamification” could only be implemented in Kelantan.

In 1999, it has joined forces with PKR and DAP and became a part of PR under the “Anwar effect”.

Through this series of incidents, one can see that the alliance between political parties is not rigid and inflexible, they all share similar ideologies or political concepts. It is not news in the political world when the left join forces with the right wing and when the seculars join hands with the conservatives. But there are still some major principles to follow. They can only go far by living with each other’s differences, decide upon the core direction, overlook some little conflicts, tolerate and understand each other.

PAS and DAP have failed to live up to these principles and, thus, they have turned from friends into enemies in the end!

Original Source: 冷眼看伊斯兰党