KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — The PAS Muktamar next month will see a clearout of dissenting member regardless of the eventual victor, with the resulting crisis set to infect the rest of Pakatan Rakyat (PR), predicted a leader from the opposition pact.
The PR leader, who requested anonymity, said although the Islamist party has always struggled between the conservative and progressive factions since 1998 — when the Reformasi movement doubled the party’s membership — its election this year has been characterised by unusual vitriol
hurled at those not aligned to conservative PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
Unlike the closing of ranks that usually follow such internal contests, the PR leader said the divisions were possibly too deep to bridge.
“This year is different. Those not with Hadi are called names and there is a clear intention to finish off each other,” the PR leader told Malay Mail Online yesterday.
“There will be purges beyond (the) Muktamar, whoever wins. I don’t believe that PAS’ internal crisis would be solved with the Muktamar. So there will be twin crises — whether PAS would split beyond muktamar and whether PR would split,” he said, adding that both scenarios may happen at the same time.
There are stakes that extend beyond PAS in the Muktamar, as its outcome will determine if the current infighting over hudud will reach critical mass or be defused in time to prevent the implosion of PR.
DAP has all but said that it cannot continue co-operating with Hadi, so his victory will preclude any possibility of reconciliation between the two warring allies.
The PAS election this year takes place without the late party spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who died in February after more than two decades as the party’s conscience.
Nik Aziz had staunchly opposed attempts to forge a cooperation between PAS and Umno, declaring in 2013 that he would not permit efforts to foster unity between the Islamist opposition party and the ruling Malay nationalist party for as long as he was alive.
This year’s PAS election will also see a challenge for the presidency for the first time in more than half a century, with former vice-president Ahmad Awang taking on Hadi, who is seen as being close to Umno.
The Star columnist Joceline Tan wrote yesterday that Ahmad has been called names such as “Mursyidul Am PasMa”, insinuating that he is the “supreme leader” of the breakaway group from PAS despite his reported criticism of the formation of splinter parties.
She also reported that Ahmad, after receiving his first nomination for the presidency, had found banners outside his apartment dubbing him a “traitor” and telling him to think of his afterlife.
Despite DAP’s prediction that Hadi will be returned to power, the PR leader who spoke to Malay Mail Online said there is still a possibility that PAS may see a change of leadership.
“Hadi is not absolutely sure of winning, so he is doing all these to secure his chances,” he said.
PAS central working committee member Khalid Samad told Malay Mail Online that the ongoing public spat between the DAP and PAS was a build-up to the muktamar next month.
Hadi reportedly said he is prepared to sever ties with DAP following a recent row over PR’s stillborn shadow Cabinet, although the secularist party has already declared that it will no longer work with the PAS president.
“Everyone’s trying to show that they’re sticking to their guns and not compromising,” he said.
When asked if there will be a split in PAS after the party election, Khalid said it would depend on the winners and the party policy following the muktamar.
“If it’s one of expelling members who don’t agree, you’ll probably see a split. If there are those who are willing to accept differences of opinion and discuss and debate in a civilised manner, probably you won’t see a split,” said the Shah Alam MP.
PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang expressed confidence that the majority of PAS members are pro-PR and will reaffirm their commitment to the pact once the election is over.
“Even if we cannot work with all, we can work with certain persons, segments or states that have no problem.
“Reality is, no one in Pakatan can afford to quit,” Chua told Malay Mail Online.
