Spring cleaning for PAS
PAS president Hadi Abdul Awang said the door is closed for any discussion on the so-called unity government and PAS will not bring up the issue again at any of its meetings.
Farah Azreen, Malaysian Mirror
On Saturday, more than 1,000 delegates will gather at the PAS field headquarters in Taman Melewar, Gombak for a political seminar aimed at “putting the house in order.”
The party had been in such a mess that spiritual advisor Nik Aziz Nik Mat (pic, below left) called for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to resolve the problems.
However, the party’s central committee, which met on Oct 28, ruled that an EGM is not necessary and opted, instead, for a seminar that could spell clearly what the problems are that the party is facing.
International Islamic University of Malaysia law lecturer Prof Dr Abdul Aziz Bari will be the guest speaker at the seminar, and is expected to present his views on what the future holds for PAS in the context of its relations with the PKR and the DAP; it’s partners in the Pakatan Rakyat alliance.
A main agenda at the seminar is the Selangor liaison committee, which had neither been on good terms with its Pakatan allies at the state level nor had been amicable with their own leaders at the PAS headquarters.
Three problematic leaders
Nik Aziz accused Selangor PAS head Hassan Ali of being aligned to Umno and named him one of the three problematic leaders in PAS that have to be dealt with. The other two are deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa and secretary-general Mustafa Ali.
A committee has been set up, headed by vice-president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, to probe into the management of Selangor PAS.
He is expected to give his findings at the seminar, together with a stack of solutions to the matter.
An earlier issue of discontent – the formation of a goodwill government with Umno – was quickly set aside and will not be brought up at the seminar.
No more unity talks
PAS president Hadi Abdul Awang said the door is closed for any discussion on the so-called unity government and PAS will not bring up the issue again at any of its meetings.
Nik Aziz had wanted the EGM to be held as he wanted a referendum on the three alleged problematic leaders instead of having to go through bureaucratic procedures to remove them from PAS.
He wrote in his blog: “Umno has decided on issues through an EGM and, likewise, the MCA too was able to hold an EGM for a vote of no confidence in their president and deputy president.
“It was the same with PKR, which amended their constitution through a special congress. Why not us?
“Our issue involved only two or three leaders who give problems.
“Even the Indian community is not afraid to oppose (MIC president S) Samy Vellu by forming new parties.
“So, what is so strange about calling for an emergency meeting or an extraordinary assembly?”
The Kelantan mentri besar said his proposal for an EGM stemmed from reading an article by Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, which said the poor showing of PAS in the Bagan Pinang by-election was influenced by the disarray in Selangor PAS and criticisms against Hadi’s leadership of the party.
Nik Aziz also criticised
Ironically, Nik Azis was also not spared of criticisms about his dealing of certain issues and his idea of the EGM.
However, before things got out of control, Hadi called for calm and reminded his members that any internal fighting should be kept where it rightly should be – inside the party – and not to be debated in the mainstream media or the new media.
He advocated the ‘musyuarah’ (consensus) approach to dealing with the internal conflicts which, he said, was the culture and style of PAS that has been enshrined in its constitution.
“I make this plea to all members and leaders at all levels, to be patient and calm in facing these internal challenges at this time,” he told his centeral committee members, when suggesting the proposed EGM be replaced by a political seminar.
Nik Aziz did not object, but he gave his personal views on the issues troubling him.
Saturday’s seminar, in essence, will be a watered-down version of Nik Aziz’s EGM but it is expected to get the delegates rallying behind Hadi and giving him a re-energised authority to take the party to its next level…whatever it is that he decides.