KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Members of a new movement formed among PAS members have decried a ban by the party’s Federal Territories chapter stopping its members from joining them, claiming their intentions have been misunderstood.

The movement — Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia or PasMa for short — insisted it does not plan to serve as an alternative party to PAS or that it wants to lure members away from the Islamist party.

“PAS fears that its members will leave and be active in PasMa. Actually, that’s not what we want, we are a link and they should have clarified the issue with us,” PasMa president Datuk Phahrolrazi Zawawi told a forum last night.

Pharolrazi, who is also PAS’s assemblyman for Pengkalan Kundor and Kedah PAS deputy commissioner, said the PAS FT chapter should have clarified PasMa’s position with him or his committee members before announcing the ban.

“Just because they hear from other sources, that caused them to be a little concerned with PasMa,” he said.

FT PasMa chief Nazir Zakaria echoed the movement chief’s views, saying the ban was premised on “unfounded” fears.

“Why the attempt to ban us? Just because we raise questions?” he asked, adding that the reason for the ban was irrational and an attempt to stifle the freedom of members to speak out.

Yesterday, FT PAS banned its members from participating in any of PasMa’s activities, saying those who joined the non-governmental organisation are “traitors” to PAS.

PasMa was formed by PAS members as a watchdog to ensure that the Islamist party remains in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and to foil any agreement or unity government with ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN).

On Sunday, PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar clarified that PasMa was not formed by the party and is not affiliated with it.

Party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali also denied reports that PasMa is a potential splinter party set up to challenge the Ulama, or clerics wing aligned to president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

The senior PAS leader said it is commonplace for PAS leaders to form or be part of NGOs outside of the party’s ambit, and stressed that PasMa in no way signifies a split.

Abdul Hadi, along with the party’s powerful Syura council and Ulama wing, have been at loggerheads with PAS’s PR allies DAP and PKR over the post of Selangor mentri besar.

Both PKR and DAP have agreed to nominating PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to take on the MB role but Abdul Hadi, making a unilateral decision, named others for the coveted Selangor post in his party’s letter to the state ruler.

Pharolrazi and those in PasMa are said to be aligned with DAP and PKR on the matter.