Defeated PAS leader Mahfuz Omar believes it is time the party opens up its doors to non-Muslims and allow them to obtain a full membership. With voting rights.
“For me, PAS should open its membership to non-Muslims and allow them to become full members," he said in an interview with Malaysiakini on Tuesday.
Mahfuz said this was only appropriate and especially so if the party was confident that the Islamic principle it upholds could not be undermined regardless which religion party members belonged to.
“Islamist parties today should be seen as being friendly to all including the non-Muslims. They should not be exclusive to Muslims only.
“Non-Muslims should not be worried about not obtaining full membership to such parties. If they do, they will feel as though they are of second class and this would not be good for us to showcase Islam’s openness,” he said.
The Islamist party currently has the PAS Supporters' Congress (DHPP), which consists of around 4,000 non-Muslim members. Although calls have been made time and again, these members do not have voting rights.
On another matter, the Pokok Sena MP, who was one of late PAS president Fadzil Noor’s proteges, had only praise for the visionary leader.
“He had the foresight to see things beyond his era and this is what leaders today must have," he said.
Mahfuz clearly remembered how many in the party were against Fadzil’s decision to be on the same debating stage as former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad once and also Fadzil's decision to visit PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim after he was sacked as deputy prime minister.
“Many criticised him, including myself. But maybe at that time, most of us were influenced by our emotions.
“In the end, when we observed the response the party received after that, we could see how he had the foresight as people started discussing about PAS and its openness," said Mahfuz.
Reducing egos a must
Mahfuz Omar
Although Fadzil was decisive and never did let others influence his judgements, Mahfuz said this did not mean he ignored the opinions of others.
Mahfuz, however, declined to compare the leadership of Fadzil (below) with those of PAS leaders today, pointing out that everyone had his or her own strengths as well as weaknesses.
"But leaders should learn from the leadership of times past [...] they should practise wise politics and this does not mean forgoing your principles.
"If we accept the fact that Malaysia's politics is one where we cannot stand alone in administering the country, this would certainly need wisdom in negotiations to ensure that principles are not undermined and at the same time, the aims are achieved," he said.
Pointing out how although Fadzil was firm on issues concerning Islam, he nevertheless was able to reduce his ego in negotiating with the other parties in the then Barisan Alternatif, up until the DAP announced it was leaving the coalition.
"He continued to be there in the discussions, he was able to reduce his ego and showed that Malaysia's political future was a priority," he said.
Asked whether PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang should take a leaf out of Fadzil's book, Mahfuz said all leaders, and this including Hadi, DAP's Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and PKR's Azmin Ali should be 'big-hearted'.
"Leaders who are like statesmen must be big-hearted and be ready to reduce their egos. You don't lose anything if you are big-hearted," he said.
Mahfuz was alluding to the ongoing crisis facing Pakatan Rakyat and its future.
PAS and DAP continue to be at loggerheads with the former maintaining that Pakatan Rakyat was still in existence even though the party's recent muktamar had passed a resolution to sever ties with DAP.
DAP, on the other hand, has since declared Pakatan dead. Azmin, as Selangor menteri besar, has been urged to choose between either DAP or PAS in continuing to administer the state.
New party a democratic right
The muktamar also saw the defeat of the PAS progressives faction with the conservative ulama camp making a clean sweep of all leadership positions. This has exacerbated ties with DAP.
The lone survivor among the progressives was Mazlan Aliman who was re-elected in the central working committee. Mazlan, however, has since resigned from his post.
Asked whether he had plans of joining G18, a group formed by the defeated PAS progressives, Mahfuz said that he was not in the loop of the group's development pointing out he was still the Pokok Sena PAS division chief.
He however said he believed that no one could prevent new parties from being formed as it was a democratic right.
"If a new political party emerges, it will surely have an implication on the new politics we have built thus far with Pakatan."
He said the new G18 party, should it be formed, would not be like previous splinter groups from PAS which disappeared soon after formation.
"Many are pessimistic over the emergence of a new political party due to what has happened. But history is history, times have changed.
"So existing political parties, PAS in particular, should not underestimate the emergence of new political parties as they will have an effect on PAS in the next general election," he said.
Expressing hope that PAS and the new party negotiate matters, Mahfuz said failure to do so would have repercussions on efforts to replace the BN-Umno government.
Asked to comment on why he lost in the party elections although he was not in the ulama faction nor the progressive faction, Mahfuz said his position was not accepted.
"Maybe some people say I am neutral but during the muktamar, one quarter of them simply could not accept neutrality. It was either A or B.
"I don't know whether I am neutral or not [...] I simply believe in the right principles," he said.
Asked whether he would accept an appointment now as PAS central working committee member, Mahfuz declined to give an answer.
"It's still a secret until I send the letter to the president on Friday before I head back to Alor Setar," he said, simply. - M'kini
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