Mat Sabu Ni Sakit Apa?

 

When PAS wants prostitution, gambling and drinking curbed, they attack PAS and say nasty things about PAS. When PAS does not push for the curbing of prostitution, gambling and drinking, they also attack PAS and say nasty things about PAS. Mat Sabu ni sakit apa?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Parti Amanah Negara or National Trusty Party leader Mohamad Sabu a.k.a. Mat Sabu appears confused about what he is expecting from PAS, his former party.

When “a group of progressive Islamist leaders” led by Mat Sabu left PAS in August 2015 and took over the Malaysia Workers’ Party to turn it into “an Islamic reformist party”, they said they did so because PAS is an extreme and radical party. This group of ex-PAS leaders said they want to propagate “liberal” or “moderate” Islam.

These labels to describe Islam — extremist, fundamentalist, radical, liberal, moderate, modern, etc. — have been used so often to describe PAS, Umno, Bersatu, Amanah, Berjasa, Hamim, Semangat 46 and all Malay- or Muslim-based parties since 1951. But what do these labels really mean?

I find it extremely perturbing when non-Muslims compartmentalise Islam or Muslims the way they interpret it. I mean, how would Christians feel if we were to label Catholics as “apostates” (murtad) because we measure them according to the Qur’an’s interpretation of Christianity?

PAS is now being attacked for not being “Taliban” enough

We need to respect the rights of Christians to interpret Christianity the way they see things and if they feel praying to statues or iconism is correct then leave them be. But why do non-Muslims not respect the right of Muslims to interpret Islam the way they see things as well? Why compartmentalise Islam or Muslims into extremist, fundamentalist, radical, liberal, moderate, modern, and so on?

Christians are Christians (or Hindus are Hindus, Buddhists are Buddhists, etc) but Muslims are extremist, fundamentalist, radical, liberal, moderate, modern, or whatever.

Anyway, Muslims also play this game, not just non-Muslims. And, today, Mat Sabu has whacked PAS for “abandoning” its Islamic cause. PAS is no longer pushing for RUU355 (what DAP calls “Hudud” laws) said Mat Sabu. (READ HERE)

Mat Sabu left PAS because, kononnya, it is an extremist party. And now he attacks PAS for not being extremist enough.

“Kita tidak lagi dengar mereka bercakap mengenai (RUU) 355, sebab pemimpin mereka (dulu) mengatakan bukan sunat, bukan makruh.”

“Begitu juga pertambahan aktiviti perjudian (daripada lapan kepada 22 kali cabutan setahun) sekarang. Kita lihat Pas mendiamkan diri atau pun mereka bersuara tapi tak dengar lagi.”

“Mereka berbincang hanya kedudukan dan hal berkaitan jawatan di peringkat Persekutuan dan negeri. Rakyat sedang melihat keadaan ini.”

“Ahli-ahli Pas juga telah melihat pemimpin-pemimpin mereka sudah lari daripada perjuangan.”

To cut a long story short, PAS is no longer radical or extreme, or demonstrating fundamentalism like before when Mat Sabu was in PAS. Today, PAS appears more tolerant or moderate and does not seem to be trying to turn Malaysia into another Afghanistan.

When PAS opposes gambling, beer festivals and beauty contests, they get angry and say nasty things about PAS. When PAS focuses on combating the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic instead of trying to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State, they also get angry.

Instead of attacking PAS for no longer trying to introduce “Talibanism” in Malaysia, why not Amanah propose what “Islamism” it would like to see. Stop attacking PAS for what it is NOT doing. Instead, tell us what Amanah would do to make Malaysia more Islamic if it wins GE15.

When PAS wants prostitution, gambling and drinking curbed, they attack PAS and say nasty things about PAS. When PAS does not push for the curbing of prostitution, gambling and drinking, they also attack PAS and say nasty things about PAS.

Mat Sabu left PAS because, kononnya, it is an extremist party. And now he attacks PAS for not being extremist enough. Mat Sabu ni sakit apa?