KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 ― Another PAS ulama has joined in its conservative central leadership to mock splinter group Gerakan Harapan Baru’s (GHB) intention to set up a new Islamist party, claiming it will end up as DAP’s “Malay wing” to court votes from the country’s largest demographic group.
PAS central working committee member Mokhtar Senik also predicted that the new party will die an early death, claiming it cannot function as both Islamic and secular party at the same time.
“This splinter party is important to be DAP’s Malay Supporters’ Congress that will be DAP’s vote stock among the Malays,” Mokhtar said on his official Facebook page yesterday, comparing GHB to PAS’ own non-Muslim wing, the PAS Supporters’ Congress.
“Without this ‘wing’, the Malay votes will generally go to PAS or Umno. So DAP needs a New Party for this goal.”
Mokhtar also alleged that the formation of GHB was a continuation of lobby group Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa), and both were attempts by DAP to break up PAS from inside.
During PAS’ elections early last month month, the ulama trounced party progressives in a takeover of PAS, causing the ousted faction to form the new movement called GHB.
GHB has since announced it will register the new party on September 14 to replace PAS in a new federal opposition pact.
The PAS Ulama Wing has since warned its members to not be enticed by “satanic” invitations from the party’s ousted progressives to join their budding GHB, claiming the movement is fuelled by “resentment”.
