Hadi or Tuan Ibrahim? Cut from the same cloth, it makes no difference who helms PN or the country

 

MALAYSIA may see a radical change in the political landscape with PAS touted to be the party most capable of taking over the reins of federal power.

The news making the rounds is that the Islamist party may lead Perikatan Nasional (PN) as the main opposition front in the 16th General Election (GE16). And if it wins, Malaysia may see a PAS premier for the first time in its history.

The rise and rise of PAS come in the wake of the fractured coalition front whose leader Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has quit his chairmanship post.

With the Bersatu president’s resignation from the PN chair, the way is thus opened for the ultra-rightist party to stake its claim to the one and only coveted prize that had eluded the party for decades.

But who can helm PN? Under Muhyiddin’s leadership which was seen largely as lacklustre, PN was not making much of an impact on the big national stage. The recent PAS-Bersatu bickering finally boiled over with his surprised resignation following the Perlis “betrayal crisis”.

Now two candidates are the likely contenders for the PN top post – PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang and his deputy Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man. And both are unseasonable leaders when framed against the background of a multi-racial society.

Does Tuan Ibrahin fit the bill?

As Hadi is more noted for his hateful racist remarks than any display of tolerance, it is doubtful he can be a person who is “moderate, inclusive and able to work cohesively with all components in Malaysia’s multi-ethnic society” if he were to become PN chairman.

After all, the Marang MP who is more into religion has vowed to vigorously pushed ahead with his religious laws despite the “barkings of the dogs and wolves” (critics).

But at 79, frail Hadi might give way to Tuan Ibrahim who at 66 might be able to carry PAS across the finishing line in the GE16 race and shoulder the very heavy burden of the prime ministership.

Can Tuan Ibrahim, a PN supreme council member, rise up to the daunting challenge? Will he be a more moderate leader than his boss? Will he discard the obnoxious politics of race and religion in favour of whole-of-nation approach?

A former environment and water minister in the short-lived cabinet of former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, he hardly made a mark in discharging his portfolio.

Perhaps, this Kubang Kerian MP is best remembered for his three-minute speech at the United Nations on climate change where he delivered his remarks in Malay reportedly without a translator. Anyway, it fell on deaf ears.

Whether it is Hadi or Tuan Ibrahim, it makes no difference as to who a better PN leader will be. Cut from the same cloth, they will only pursue single-mindedly policies that will only result in dire consequences.

Hadi and Tuan Ibrahim are more interested in the hereafter than in the here and now which is certainly not helpful in making Malaysia a truly united nation.

Perhaps, their long-cherished agenda of setting up a state based completely on religious laws will come to fruition but it will divide our multi-racial society.

All this is bad news. A PAS administration at the federal level will sound the death knell for all the values and freedom that we cherish because all its authority will be derived from and based on religion. In short, it will be a government by divine guidance.

If there is one party that will drive the non-Malays to unite and push back the tide of religious bigotry, it is PAS – a wolf now dressed up in sheep’s clothing.

Tan Sri Hadi Awang (left) and Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (Image credit: Malay Mail)

When Hadi or Tuan Ibrahim leads PN to the GE16 battlefield, the public will get to watch PAS in action as it unfolds its strategies to capture Putrajaya. They will see the true colours of its leaders who will no doubt go all-out to bring the fear of God into the masses.

But their fire-and-brimstone orations will not wash with our multi-ethnic society whose large minority communities are more concerned with down-to-earth issues than spiritual matters per se.

Tuan Ibrahim might take over the mantle of leadership from Hadi and continue with divisive sermons but the country is not ready to discard parliamentary democracy for theocracy – if that is the ultimate but doomed objective of PAS.

Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.

- Focus Malaysia.