Hadi butters up PAS for further cooperation with Umno

PAS MUKTAMAR | PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang today sent overtures to his party members, buttering them up for possible further political cooperation with former nemesis Umno and other parties.

His winding-up speech at the 64th party muktamar was peppered with Quranic verses and Hadith, many of which he used to show how Islam promotes its followers to be forgiving and be nice in dakwah, even with enemies.

"Even with the Pharaoh, who was so vicious, he ordered for boys to have their throats slit and girls to be made slaves, Allah asked the prophets Moses and Aaron to use nice words to reprimand him.

"(And) during the opening of Mecca (after its capture), the Muslims captured around 10 enemies who were on the list of enemies that were to be killed. But the Prophet Muhammad pardoned them when they sought forgiveness," Hadi said.

His remarks came at a time when such PAS cooperation with Umno was being heavily debated including by his party members who had been raising their doubts.

PAS members had been skeptical on working with Umno, their "corrupt" nemesis for over 60 years, who had only come into the fold after suffering a major defeat in the 14th general election.

Hadi, however, assured delegates that PAS in pursuing its tahaluf siyasi (political cooperation) and taawun siyasi (political understanding) with others would not neglect its main objective to empower Islam in the country.

The party, he added, must be strict in protecting the principle of its Islamic cause and should not tolerate those who seek to prevent Islam from emerging as the country's political power.

He also said that Allah wants Muslims to do good to people even when they do harm and told PAS members to not fear of being cheated or duped.

Prior to his speech, the muktamar had unanimously approved a motion to give a full mandate to PAS' leadership to decide on its future collaborations.

In a possible reference to this, Hadi touched on the concept of wala' (loyalty) practiced by Prophet Muhammad's companions.

He said the companions gave their full trust to Prophet Muhammad when he agreed to sign a lopsided Hudaibiyah agreement with their enemies in Mecca although at that time they could not fully comprehend why the prophet made that decision.

"In the end, the Hudaibiyah agreement led to Muslims winning Mecca from the enemies, and people came in droves to embrace Islam.

"The companions displayed their loyalty to their leader, although initially, they could not understand the strategy. They understood that there were things that could be told, while some could not be told.

"This is the tradition of mature politics," he told the delegates.

'Cooperation not an act of desperation'

This year's muktamar marked the first time in 60 years that Umno top leaders have attended the assembly as official guests.

PAS had worked together with Umno - and BN by extension - in three by-elections thus far.

However, the cooperation remains an informal affair, although leaders from both parties appear to welcome such a pact.

At a press conference after the muktamar ended, Hadi stressed that PAS' cooperation with Umno was not an act of desperation.

"We are not being hasty, we will evaluate the situation from time to time. PAS has had experience in which we joined a coalition government (after it was decided) in a special muktamar.

"It was not PAS central leadership's decision. Now the syura council will also look at PAS' political (needs), and if necessary there will be another special muktamar," he said.

Hadi said this when asked to elaborate the extent of PAS' ties with Umno.

He said what was important was that delegates have wholeheartedly welcomed the cooperation thus far. - Mkini