KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — The newly-launched Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB) movement led by PAS progressives is looking to open its doors to non-Muslims and accord them the same rights as its Muslim members once it formally establishes itself as a new political party, its representatives have said.

PAS has a non-Muslim wing called the PAS Supporters’ Congress, but its members have no voting rights within the Islamist party although some have contested under the PAS banner in past general elections.

“Gerakan Harapan Baru consists of a group of people who wish to see Malaysian politics move on and not be deterred by factions.

“We want to include others who believe in the same inspirations: NGOs, those people who feel that they need a new platform altogether and those who feel that PAS cannot deliver that platform anymore,” Parit Buntar MP Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

“With Gerakan Harapan Baru, every single Malaysian will not be abandoned in this new hope.

“We will include Muslims, non-Muslims, and  ultimately we will emerge as a national party,” the former PAS central committee member said.

He said that the key figures behind the group are “seriously thinking” about making the future party’s membership open to Malaysians from all walks of life.

“But of course our basis of existence will be Islamic principles,” Mujahid stressed.

Former PAS central committee member and GHB’s secretary-general Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that the idea was for the group to be open and inclusive to not just Muslims but Malaysians of other faiths and beliefs, provided they supported its objectives and guiding principles.

“Besides (that), we are also looking at having affiliate members from all, regardless of race n religion, coming from those not willing enough to be actively assuming any party’s posts, but yet most willing to help in other indirect activities of advancing party’s program and advocacy,” he told Malay Mail Online.

Another leader of the group, Khalid Samad admitted that there are talks underway about opening up GHB’s membership to non-Muslims, in a move to differentiate the party from PAS.

“There is a belief that we should allow for complete membership, even though they are non-Muslims,” the Shah Alam MP told Malay Mail Online.

But he said that while the issue is being deliberated, there is no decision on the matter yet.

PAS’ DHPP was set up in 2010 ostensibly as PAS’s response to its growing influence among non-Muslims, who are largely also non-Malays.

The formation of the wing was also part of PAS’s bid to boost its moderate image after the 2008 general election, when the combined efforts of PAS, DAP and PKR denied Barisan Nasional its traditional parliamentary supermajority.

It was also after Election 2008 that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was formed, forcing together the unlikeliest of political allies under one umbrella ― secularist DAP and Islamist PAS.

The three-party PR alliance comprising PKR, DAP and PAS was thrown into a state of uncertainty recently after PAS decided during its June 6 muktamar to cut ties with the DAP.

The decision later led to the DAP declaring PR’s death as a coalition.