Will anyone in PAS get the axe?

Mohamad Sabu and Dzulkefly Ahmad are especially vulnerable because neither one is an MP or state assemblyman.

COMMENT

The turmoil in PAS is going into overdrive. With the party’s muktamar, or general assembly, starting tomorrow, the stage seems set for an open battle between the ulama, generally known to be conservative, and the so-called moderates, sometimes referred to as the “professionals.”

Some members of the latter faction may be sacked this month, one of them has told this columnist. But another of his ilk has said the ulama would not dare to make such a move because it will weaken the party.

It must be noted that in PAS it is possible for the ulama to boot out the moderates but not vice versa. Still, any sacking cannot be done arbitrarily; it has to go through the Disciplinary Board.

According to an MP belonging to the professionals’ camp, it would be unwise for the party to sack the professionals because PAS will then “lose all its seats in Parliament.”

Be that as it may, it is now open war in PAS, with the professionals speaking up publicly against the ulama. Chief among their grouses is that party president Abdul Hadi Awang has allegedly gone back on his word about not submitting any PAS name for the Selangor Menteri Besar’s post.

This is seen as a serious breach of trust against Pakatan Rakyat. Indeed, Hadi is seen as starting a move to break away from the alliance.

What Hadi has done shows that although the PAS constitution does not provide for a veto vote, the party president has the power to make his own decisions. And this simply means that the position of the professionals is now in jeopardy.

Those anticipated to be given the boot are Deputy President Mohamad Sabu, Research Director Dzulkefly Ahmad, Treasurer Hatta Ramli, Salor State Assemblyman Husam Musa and Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad.

Mohamad Sabu and Dzulkefly are especially vulnerable because neither one is an MP or state assemblyman.

A Selangor PAS MP’s son told this columnist: “Let us see whether the PAS leadership dares to sack anyone.”

It is now obvious that there are two distinct factions in PAS. But at the end of the day, will PAS choose to stay with Pakatan Rakyat or leave it? This subject will no doubt be hotly debated during the muktamar.