INTERVIEW | From his time in a classroom teaching mathematics, behind an office desk dealing with administrative matters, or now in the Dewan Rakyat, first-term Sri Gading MP Aminolhuda Hassan’s political journey from PAS to Amanah has been driven by the same desire to learn and educate the people.
Growing up as a son of a religious teacher in a traditional Johor Umno family from Parit Jawa, Muar, Aminolhuda (above), however, chose to travel on a different path after being “educated” by a fellow teacher trainee at Universiti Putra Malaysia on leadership and politics in Islam.
“At that time I thought politics and religion cannot be put together. That’s the typical Umno mentality to keep the two separate,” Aminolhuda, 63, told Malaysiakini in an interview.
He attributed his personal understanding - and that of many others of his generation - to how Islam is taught in Johor, particularly at government religious schools that are made mandatory for all Muslim students.
“Johor can claim to have a basis in Islamic education, but it is mostly taught at the surface level, covering the basics surrounding prayers, fasting and others.
“They are not exposed to politics and if we mention politics, they will say politics and religion should not mix,” he said, adding this was unlike religious institutions in Kelantan or Terengganu.
Upon graduation with a diploma in teaching, Aminolhuda said he returned to Johor where he learnt of PAS from a high school friend, formally joining the party in 1982 after serving as polling and counting agent for an MCA candidate in Muar during the general election held that year.
With little political experience, Aminolhuda was tasked to lead the newly set up Bakri PAS division as its youth chief, over the years rising through the ranks as Johor PAS deputy youth chief, at the time in 1995 serving under Salahuddin Ayub, who is now the domestic trade and cost of living minister.
“As for me, there were many times when I was tied to my duties as a teacher,” he said.
In the initial years, Aminolhuda continued to gather valuable life lessons, including when faced with the death of his first wife in childbirth, along with their third child.
He then remarried and in 1995 accompanied his new wife to further her doctorate in Aberdeen, Scotland, only returning to Malaysia about four years later, after the 10th general election held in the aftermath of the Reformasi movement.
Remaining with PAS, over the next decade, Aminolhuda grew in his teaching career until he was appointed as the senior assistant for student affairs at Johor Bahru’s famed English College, at the time after he completed his own post-graduate studies at UK’s Kings College.
It was after his second return to Malaysia in 2009 that Aminolhuda was faced with one of several major “junctions” that would shape his future.
This includes being sidelined for a headmaster’s position due to his active involvement with PAS, at the time a Pakatan Rakyat partner alongside PKR and DAP.
“For me, once we reach a junction, we need to decide whether to stay there without being of any use to the people or make a major, better decision in the people’s interests.
“To be with the people, not everyone can do it as there are those seeking positions to be rich. I became an elected representative to serve the people, same as I was a teacher who educates,” he added.
Aminolhuda, who opted for early retirement, first contested the Parit Yaani state assembly seat in 2013 for PAS - after which he was appointed Johor state PAS commissioner - and he defended the state seat for the second term in 2018 on an Amanah ticket.
The former state opposition leader then lost the seat to BN’s Mohd Najib Samuri during the Johor state election earlier this year.
From PAS to Amanah
Following the 13th general election in 2013, PAS underwent an internal conflict that culminated with Aminolhuda and 17 others, including Mohamad Sabu as then deputy president and Salahuddin as then vice-president, losing their party positions during the party election held in 2015.
This group, dubbed the “professional camp” within PAS, was wiped out by the cleric faction under party president Abdul Hadi Awang, and they eventually came together at a meeting held in Muar where a decision was made to set up Amanah, with Mohamad - widely known as Mat Sabu - as president and Salahuddin as deputy.
This would be the second major juncture in Aminolhuda’s political journey, one that saw not only his departure from PAS to Amanah, which marked its official launch on Sept 16, 2015, but also taking along members from all 26 divisions across Johor.
The formation of Amanah also marked the beginnings of Pakatan Harapan in an alliance with PKR and DAP, following the break-up of Pakatan Rakyat formed with PAS.
“We may now be a small part of Harapan, but we must remember that without Amanah, Harapan would be seen to be even smaller.
“We only have eight (parliamentary) seats now but we have support all across the country,” said the former Johor Harapan chief.
“Harapan was formed out of three pillars: PKR, DAP and Amanah. PKR is now over 20 years old and DAP is even older. So, if we have a smaller share (of seats), it is okay,” Aminolhuda added.
Criticism of Amanah’s seemingly weak bargaining power among Harapan parties was also heard from within the party’s ranks.
Johor Amanah central committee leader Mazlan Aliman, who was initially unhappy over a move to make way for Muda to contest the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat, eventually relented and stumped for their candidate Lim Wei Jiet.
‘Student overtaking teacher’
Of its GE15 parliamentary candidates, Amanah had gained several new first-term MPs, including Aminolhuda, but also lost several of the party’s senior leaders - communications chief Khalid Samad who moved to contest in Titiwangsa from Shah Alam; vice-president Mahfuz Omar who failed to defend his Pokok Sena seat; as well as former Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin, who was not fielded this time around.
Known for the often fiery debates of these MPs in the Dewan Rakyat, Aminolhuda noted that he might not share the same approach, preferring instead to treat his speeches as yet another opportunity to educate the public.
“I had many successful students, including Hanipa who I taught at SMK Tun Habab. Although the student has overtaken the teacher, the teacher will stay steady,” he quipped.
“I believe it is best to fight facts with facts… but Hanipa has a law background, which means he is used to serving in court and that is a completely different setting than a classroom.
“Even back in the state assembly, others will keep quiet and listen to me when I speak. They want to hear the facts I am presenting. But if the situation ever gets too out of line, then even I can lose my cool,” he said.
Aminolhuda said his experience in education will also form the basis of his participation in relevant parliamentary select committees or debates, aside from raising basic issues affecting his constituents in Sri Gading.
The first Dewan Rakyat session under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration, held on Dec 19 and Dec 20, had seen the swearing-in of all new MPs, including Aminolhuda and seven others from Amanah. - Mkini
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