The PAS party election may be over but the action has only just begun!
The results have caught arch rivals UMNO by surprise. PAS members have picked what many pundits have called a "battlefield line-up" for the coming 13th General Election.
Among the prominent new faces are Mat Sabu, Husam Musa and Mazlan Aliman.
The popular Mat Sabu was elected Deputy President, replacing Ustaz Nasharuddin Mat Isa (Bachok MP).
Another well-liked but soft-spoken man, Husam Musa was picked for the post of Vice-President.
The remaining two Vice-President seats saw incumbents Salahudin Ayub (Kubang Kerian MP) and Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena MP and also of the Saman Ekor fame) retaining their positions. Salahudin garnered the highest number of votes at 753. Husam obtained 660, while Mahfuz received 616.
Underestimated the Malay sense of fairplay
Whether they choose to admit it or not, UMNO leaders watching the PAS polls must be feeling stabs of cold fear in their hearts now.
They have badly miscalculated the Malay psyche. They tried to drive PAS back into its former shell of religious fundamentalism but PAS refused to be brow-beaten despite pressure piled by the likes of UMNO units, Perkasa and Pembela.
Suddenly, it swerved - choosing its own course. PAS has chosen a new direction for itself. It is a road that, if travelled with commitment, can finally nurse Malaysia back to health.
Prime Minister Najib Razak has no one to blame but himself. His expensively-paid but inept advisers have let him down and they will surely go down in history as the team that nearly brought Malaysia to the brink with their nonsensical dramas and evil shenanigans like Sodomy II and Datuk T Sex Video.
Whatever it is, the PAS polls show that fairy tale endings are not impossible. In the end, good prevails over evil and the meek do really inherit the earth.
The new faces of Hope for the Malay community
On Saturday, leading the change in PAS and in the Malay community, long-time activist Mat Sabu was elected Deputy President. He represents the last ray of hope for the Malays, many of whom are despairing of ever being able to break away from the soul-sapping and corruption-riddled politics of the UMNO elite.
Mat Sabu is a big personality on the ceramah or lecture circuit as he is known for his fire and brimstone speeches. But that is not only his strongpoint.
He has a good relationship with non-governmental organisations and has already issued a clarion call for PAS members to give full support to the Bersih Rally to be held on 9th July.
He stood by Penang Chief Minister, DAP's Lim Guan Eng when Guan Eng was imprisoned under the Internal Security Act for defending a minor who was allegedly raped by an UMNO leader, the former Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik also of the Datuk T sex video fame.
It is widely-believed by many in PAS that Mat Sabu, a Penangite, will be tasked to help Guan Eng defend Penang.
As for Husam Musa, he is the state assemblyman of Salor in Kelantan and also Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat's personal aide. He is known for his expertise in economics and is in the forefront in championing the Kelantan oil royalty issue.
Oil royalties have been denied to the Kelantan state government since PAS took over in 1990 and the amount is now running into mega-billions.
A new face who garnered the highest number of votes (804) for a post in the Central Working Committee is Mazlan Aliman. He is synonymous with ANAK, an organisation that champions the cause of the FELDA settlers and fighting for their rights. Mazlan's tireless work and efforts is now given due recognition.
By electing Mazlan Aliman, it is clear PAS members hope to win over the hearts and minds of the FELDA settlers who provide a major bulk of BN's votes.
Another new face is Khalid Samad, the Shah Alam MP. Known for his moderate views and trouble-shooting skills he will be playing a big role for PAS in Selangor as UMNO is eyeing Selangor and has vowed to get back Selangor at all costs.
Former Perak Menteri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin who lost in his bid for the Vice-President post, informed Malaysia Chronicle that the immediate focus is the 13th General Election.
"Clearly, delegates want real change in PAS. They want us to work hand in hand with Pakatan Rakyat to take over Putrajaya. This is a complete 'No-No' to UMNO," said Nizar, who congratulated the winners.
A first-time VP aspirant, Nizar's prospects shine bright in the future, although he may have lost this round to Husam. Husam, who made a stab for the deputy presidency in the 2009 election, is seen as having a bit more experience as far as PAS politics is concerned.
Najib's foolish mistep
On Friday, PAS president Hadi vowed to stay in Pakatan. His decision has turned out to be the right one and the new line-up shows that the party is moving towards embracing a new all-inclusive image. These ingredients, so essential for change, are being seen for the first time in the form of the new party line-up.
The PAS party polls results is a victory for the Pakatan and a great blow to UMNO.
Najib and the UMNO elite must now realise that they have to abandon all hope of PAS joining BN. UMNO leaders have only themselves to blame for being lazy. Instead of painful reforms, they resorted to play-acting and when that didn't work, they tried the next shortcut - a marriage with PAS. Again, they were rejected.
As Najib shifts UMNO towards the right, Hadi is moving PAS to the centre.
The focus of PAS is now the Welfare State, rather than the Islamic state. Not that PAS has forsaken its raison d'etre but this is the more effective way to reach out to more Malaysians. And the need to reach out is indeed urgent after the BN's abject failure to care for the people. National bankruptcy beckons, spiralling inflation seems inescapable and the masses look set to suffer the worst of the economic pain.
Najib, who spent hundreds of millions on his 1 Malaysia slogan only to leave it hollow, must feel as foolish as the Three Stooges. But whether it is him, his wife Rosmah Mansor, former premier Mahathir Mohamad or his advisers, the buck stops with him. Such is the nature of responsibility.
Although PAS - just like DAP and PKR - will work together with BN on matters that will benefit the people, PAS has made it clear it will never join BN.
Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, the PAS Parit Buntar MP whose father was one of the party's early founders, opined that this is the best line-up going into the general election.
"In the era of New Politics, we must first focus on taking care of the welfare of the people more than anything else as this struggle is based on Islam," Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad told Malaysia Chronicle.
Endorsement for Pakatan and Anwar
With the BN-controlled mainstream media constantly reminding the Malays that only UMNO can look after their interests, PAS would need a convincing speaker who can gain the confidence of the Malays and to counter the UMNO media.
And Mat Sabu fits the bill perfectly and perhaps that is another reason why he was elected as the No. 2 man - to convince the Malays that their interests will be taken care off should Pakatan gain control of the Federal Government.
Furthermore, Mat Sabu is well-known among the older Chinese and Indians. This is the face of the Malays that PAS wants to project to the non-Malays. Clearly Mat Sabu's mass-appeal that cuts across racial and religious lines will be a bonus to PAS and a threat to UMNO.
For PKR and Opposition Leader, Mat Sabu's election is also a huge endorsement. Contrary to the incessant trumpeting by the mainstream media and Najib himself, Malay grassroots still support Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim much more than Najib. To prevent Mat Sabu from winning, his enemies had labelled him as Anwar's lap-dog. But still, Mat Sabu won.
Malays want real change
The two men he triumphed against were also among the best in PAS - the extremely popular Tuan Ibrahim and the energetic Nasharudin Mat Isa. But members wanted change. It truly was as simple as that.
And this is another lesson for Najib. Stop the shenanigans. The more you bluff, the more people dislike it. Just be sincere and try do good. If that is not enough, accept your karma and stand aside for others chosen by God to finish the task. But to resort to evil as he has done so, then not only will Malaysians not forgive, the Almighty will also want an explanation!
For the first time in PAS history, the top post besides that of the President are filled with non-ulama (Islamic scholars). This historic party election heralds a new age for PAS and a new direction for the Malay community.
Indeed, pundits may have got it right - it does look like the time has come for PAS to replace UMNO. - Malaysia Chronicle
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.