Mujahid: 'Mosquito' party Amanah will one day become an idol

INTERVIEW | All eyes are on Amanah ahead of the party elections end of this month, especially on the president's post held by founder Mohamad Sabu.

For some time now, there have been expectations for the party to display a new leadership line-up, especially for the post of president and deputy president, which was left vacant after the passing of incumbent Salahuddin Ayub in July.

Amanah co-founder-cum-vice-president Mujahid Yusof Rawa shared his aspirations for Amanah, and the challenges faced by the party ahead of the looming party polls.

Firstly, Mujahid said he agrees with Mohamad, who's better known as Mat Sabu, that the presidential post is best left to the delegates in the party polls, as well as the 27 leadership committee members who would be selected then.

"My stance is similar to the president. I cannot stem the excitement of Amanah members wanting to see a new leadership line-up.

"It is up to the members to make the best choice on who they would like to see hold the positions. Later, among the 27 members chosen for the committee, negotiations can be done to see who's best to become president," Mujahid told Malaysiakini in a recent interview.

It is worth noting that Amanah’s party polls differ from other parties. It does not choose its top leadership or grassroots based on direct voting.

Instead, the delegates vote for 27 individuals to represent them at the national level, and the candidates will be chosen for the party positions henceforth.

Party's no longer 'neglected'

Mujahid said that heavy responsibility awaits whoever is chosen as the president soon.

Among the responsibilities include strengthening the party from within, so it can expand in a "disciplined manner".

Mujahid admitted that the party was almost "neglected" during the Pakatan Harapan administration under Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2018.

This, he said, was because many of the party's leaders were chosen as either ministers or deputy ministers.

"We admit this. When the government fell in 2020, we realised it was the right time to rebuild the party," he said, adding that he was tasked with the mission of building a module to better the understanding of the members regarding the party's policies and struggles.

"Then, we (Pakatan Harapan) became the government again (after the 15th general election). We learned from experience and vowed to never 'neglect' the party again."

The former minister said that the Amanah president should also strengthen ties with other parties in the government to ensure the party contributes to the country's policies.

"For example, the Rahmah concept introduced by Salahuddin. Today, the concept is well-known throughout the country. We have to have more ideas so that the people know Amanah plays a part (in the government), although the party is seen as a small, young party.

"We must ensure that although Amanah does not have a 'towering leader', we can still contribute to the rakyat and the society. Five years from now, whoever becomes the party president should focus on this. God willing, I'm confident that one day, people who say Amanah is a small party will look at it as an idol of the rakyat," said Mujahid.

Won't be a split

Amanah was established in 2015 following an internal crisis in PAS. At that time, a group of PAS leaders led by then deputy president Mohamad left the Islamist party to establish the former.

Mujahid stressed that, unlike other parties, Amanah prefers "collective leadership" and rejected notions that seniority decides the leadership.

"There has never been any problem with seniority since Amanah was formed. PKR has Anwar Ibrahim as the icon, DAP has Lim Guan Eng, while Bersatu had Mahathir, but Amanah?

"We have never said Mat Sabu was our idol, but agreed that (the party) has collective leadership," he said, citing the likes of Khalid Samad as a “warlord”, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad as a strategist, and the late Salahuddin as a “diplomat” who always represented the party in negotiations.

Mujahid expressed confidence that competition for positions in the party polls would not lead to a split within the party.

"I don't see the possibility of competition leading to a split. Amanah is good that way, compared to other parties.

"There won't be a split (unless) there are individuals who don't know the party constitution but insist on becoming party president," he said. - Mkini