KUALA SELANGOR, June 4 — PAS’ long-standing Islamic agenda will only suffer if the party latches on to “ignorant parties” bent on using the religion as a mere tool to achieve victory, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang claimed today.

The Islamist party’s chief, who has been at loggerheads with their Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners over PAS’ renewed push for shariah penal law or hudud, said it is only by remaining steadfast in Islam can they solve the many problems faced by Malaysians.

“Being steadfast in Islam will able us to resolve many issues afflicting the pluralistic society,” Hadi said in his keynote address at the opening of the 61^st PAS muktamar or general assembly here.

“However, this message can only be realised if Islam is given a chance to govern and not by merely hitching a ride with other parties who do not open ways for Islam, but only use the religion as a tool or a stepping stone for victory.”

Hadi made no mention of a particular party in his speech, but he has been embroiled in a protracted squabble with PR ally DAP over the PAS-led Kelantan government’s move to formalise hudud in the northern state despite not being part of the opposition pact’s common agenda.

Last March, state assemblymen from PAS and arch-rivals Umno voted in amendments to the Shariah Criminal Code (II) (1993) 2015 Enactment, in what is seen as a renewed attempt by the Islamist party to pave way for hudud implementation in the state.

At the same time, Hadi tabled two private member’s bills in Parliament to amend federal shariah provisions to allow state shariah courts to carry out criminal litigation under Islamic law.

The situation led to deepening divisions between PAS and their Pakatan Rakyat partners DAP and PKR, who accused the Islamist party and Abdul Hadi, in particular, of acting unilaterally despite having initially agreed to discuss the hudud issue further.

With DAP and PKR officially against PAS’ push for hudud, the latter party will need the support of Umno MPs to see through Abdul Hadi’s bills if they are allowed to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.