PAS must purge Hasan Ali quickly

Perceiving himself as 'important' PAS' Hasan Ali is an 'accident waiting to happen' because he has always done things with the hope of catching Umno's eye.

COMMENT

The question of how Islam as the purist knows it, and democracy as we know it, would be able to work in harmony, is one of PAS’ perennial ‘problems’.

The practical aspects of making Muslim democracy work within the framework of Pakatan Rakyat is critical to the coalition’s internal cohesiveness and by extension the coalition’s ability to govern effectively should it have electoral success in the 13th general election.

This is a work in progress between PAS, DAP and PKR. Although amongst a coalition of friends who are desirous of accommodating each other’s nuances, there is still conflict over PAS’ inherent conservatism, the uncertainty of Anwar Ibrahim’s future within PKR and the cloud of perceived ‘racial overtones’ hanging over DAP (however undeserved it may be!)

PAS’ ageing but wise leadership chose to confront the opposing progressive and conservatism factions within PAS by courageously throwing themselves into the lion’s den at the 57th PAS Muktamar in June this year.

Where Umno and MCA choose to postpone party elections until after the general election for fear that it would adversely polarize opposing factions within their parties, PAS looked upon its party elections as an opportunity for PAS to announce its emergence as a partner within Pakatan in every sense of the word.

The 57th PAS Muktamar confirmed the party’s commitment to democratic principles. It allowed activists within PAS – the ulama and the progressive – to go head to head in an overt display of democracy at work.

The progressive won and in so doing made PAS’s engagement in national politics relevant within the Pakatan Rakyat democratic framework.

Can PAS be a tolerant government?

In so doing PAS demonstrated its commitment to reform while Umno remains locked in the all encompassing limitations of race, religion and the stifling and domineering control of its ageing first tier leaders or warlords whose priorities was and still is, the getting of power and the accumulation of material wealth.

Can PAS govern tolerantly across community?

PAS wants to build a welfare state where our basic needs of food, shelter, education, health and religious faith are intertwined.

The rakyat will be empowered towards achieving these ideals within the constrains of government and the financial limitations that our country has – an inclusiveness that transcends race and religion.

Those who now lead PAS are in tune with Pakatan’s ideals and policies.

PAS has now evolved into what Pakatan and we expect of those that are within the Pakatan coalition.

Invariably within these parameters there are those in and outside PAS that find fertile ground for assent and dissent.

The Hasan Ali and Nasharuddin Mat Isa issue is one that will test PAS’ resolve for dissent within its ranks.

It must be emphasized that we are privy to only what is in the public domain and whatever comment I make will be within these constrains.

Nasharuddin lost the deputy president post to Mat Sabu because Mat Sabu represented the direction that PAS members wanted the party to take in the lead up to the 13^th general election.

This much is clear at face value.

Is Hasan Ali an honorable man?

Nasharuddin has categorically stated that he will stay within PAS and in so doing, I would presume that he would abide by the wisdom within PAS and subject himself to its ‘guidance’ and ‘instructions’ without demurring.

It is now a matter of Nasharuddin being able to adjust himself to the realities of no longer being deputy president of PAS – a personal challenge that hopefully, time will resolve.

Hasan is an accident waiting to happen.

To quote (William) Shakespeare: “Madness in great ones must not unwatched go”

Hasan’s greatness is his self-perceived. He is a relic of a time long past.

Politics in Malaysia today has been polarized into two distinct factions – Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.

Any movement between the two is not to be contemplated by honorable and decent men.

Only frogs contemplate such movement. In which case is Hasan an honorable and decent man?

You do not hedge your bets in the politics of today. Those that seek to do so are deservedly shunned by both sides – unless you are a Chua Jui Meng or a Zaid Ibrahim – neither of whom Hasan is able, in all seriousness, to hold a candle to.

Hasan is no Ku Li

From his stand in the Selcat (Selective Competency, Accountability, Transparency) issue where he chose to break ranks with his Pakatan comrades to his recent brazen attempts at wagging the dog by appearing on TV3 with his tirades against PAS, Hasan has always done things with the hope of catching the eye of Umno.

He has done these fairly insignificant sniping at PAS’ inadequacies with the hope of baiting Umno for God knows what reasons.

There are phrases to describe these sorts of people – none of them complimentary – and so I will desist.

Maybe he is testing Pakatan and PAS claims to openness and ability to accept criticism – this would be the claim by those seeking to be kind to Hasan – but surely this can be done in ways that would not compromise Pakatan.

But as I have said before, the times that we now live in are polarized into those for BN and Pakatan.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Ku Li) seems to be in the middle of it all but his political pedigree has earned him the right to play the elder statesman’s role for now.

Hasan insists on going back to the three R’s – Religion, Race and Royalty. Three issues that ANY politician will chose to gain traction within the political arena that he chooses to be in because these issues, by their very nature are divisive and will attract debate for the wrong reason.

PAS members have made their stand on these issues crystal clear when they elected leaders who reject the negative aspects of race, religion and royalty.

In race and religion PAS accepts and respects the right of every rakyat to follow his own inclinations. Royalty is a non-issue for those within Pakatan.

‘Bangsa and Ugama’ politics no longer relevant

Hasan is an issue that will not go away – even as PAS tells us that the matter has been resolved.

It will not go away because Hasan is too full of his own self-importance to understand that PAS, not him, is within the Pakatan’s coalition.

He does not understand that there is a fine line between holding on to your principles because you genuinely believe in the rightness of your cause and the holding on to your ‘principles’ because it serves your vested interest to do so.

Hasan will not go away because he fails to understand that times have changed.

His own sense of his ability to bring PAS and Umno together for Bangsa dan Ugama is no longer relevant to the politics of the coming 13th general election.

This general election will see either BN or Pakatan triumph.

There have been attempts at putting together a ‘third force’ that might play a role in keeping those politicians honest but to date none has emerged to provide us with any significant choice.

But the role of these ‘third force’ are honorable because their intentions are honorable. Not so with Hasan.

Men of honor and decency do not seek opportunity in places where angels fear to tread.

And that place where angels fear to tread is the DMZ (demilitarized zone) between Umno and PAS where all that reigns is the possibility of personal gain or loss IF you get your nuances right.

Hasan chooses to be there. I see no reason why PAS should chose to be with him.

Purge Hasan quickly

It is imperative that PAS cut Hasan loose before the rakyat sees it for what it is not – the inability of PAS to decide if it will go this way or the other.

PAS is at a crossroads with Hasan. It needs to decide which to chose – will PAS’ progress towards its stated goal of Muslim democracy and the building of the welfare state or will it regress again to the politics of race and religion?

Unfortunately for PAS and Pakatan, Umno is desperate enough to have need of a Hasan in their attempts to inflict whatever pinpricks they can at the opposition armour.

That Hasan has allowed himself to be used by Umno in this manner is a reflection of the person that Hasan is.

That PAS has been prepared to tolerate this behavior of one of their own maybe be a reflection of PAS maturity – but for both I think that the time for reconciliation is long past.

There are more pressing matters to be addressed by PAS and these are matters that do not concern Hasan.

So, the sooner he is out of the PAS equation, the better it will be for PAS and Pakatan.

CT Ali is a reformist who believes in Pakatan Rakyat’s ideologies. He is a FMT columnist.