PAS membership offer to non-Muslims rings hollow

 

PAS is finally conceding, openly, that the party simply cannot lead the federal government without obtaining non-Malay support – something most of us knew all along, actually.

At the party’s recent general assembly, PAS members voted to allow non-Muslims to sign up as associate members. It also announced that the non-Muslim supporters group (DHPP) would take on a bigger role as a party wing housing the associate members.

Should we consider this a progressive move in line with its 

PAS For All

 slogan? On paper it appears so, as the party head Abdul Hadi Awang had in the past constantly spewed vitriol on non-Malays, blaming them for a host of ills facing the nation.

However, the status upgrade of the 12,000-strong DHPP is nothing substantial. They will be allowed to vote – but only to select the wing’s leadership. They cannot vote in party elections for the central leadership, let alone vie for positions.

Previously, DHPP leaders were appointed by the central committee.

In essence, just like the DHPP’s cosmetic role all this while, the associates’ wing will continue with its second-class status, with absolutely no say in the party’s direction which will steer the nation if and when it comes to power.

PAS has openly admitted that the key role of this wing will be to bring in non-Malay support in elections. It sounds so hollow as all that the party wants is votes, nothing else.

Some are wondering what happened to Gerakan, its Chinese-based multiracial partner in Perikatan Nasional, The party was supposed to have brought in non-Malay support, especially among the Chinese. Obviously, PAS must have realised Gerakan has been completely defanged and it is virtually non-existent in the political landscape.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was frank on why the party needs non-Malays. It wants them to play a bigger role in helping the party win more seats in swing states such as Perak, Penang, Pahang, and potentially Selangor.

We believe that having political parties based on race alone is not good for unity. Segregating parties based on race is unfair because race is determined by God, not us,

 he said at the recent PAS general assembly.

Wow, this statement coming from a senior PAS leader is completely different from what some of their senior leaders have been saying all this while. The part about 

we are all children of God despite the different creed or colour

 resonates well with many Malaysians, and especially among non-Malays.

PAS even spelt out that it will accept non-Malays only if they profess a religion. The party has no place for atheists. This can be viewed positively as acceptance of all faiths in the country.

With this, non-Muslims who join the party now go in with their eyes wide open about their second-class status and should not complain later of the things they are not entitled to.

That said, many find the sudden push by PAS to accept Malaysians of all religious backgrounds as being a little hollow. You still have within its ranks some members who term others as 

kafir harbi

 (belligerent infidel) and others calling for the closure of casinos.

Such calls definitely infringe on the rights of non-Muslims, giving rise to wariness of a PAS-led federal government which will only have a castrated non-Muslim wing lacking any power to vote on policy changes or elect central leaders.

Thus, the move for associate membership is seen by many as a symbolic one without any substantive changes. To make it worse, it is driven by political ambition instead of genuine respect for those of other faiths.

Sure, most political parties are driven by similar interests but at least they do not refer to others as infidels or talk of removing the secular status of the nation which most non-Malays are comfortable with.

Losing their secular rights is a major worry for non-Muslims, who make up 30% of the population, as they have seen PAS governments in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu already banning gambling.

And all that the DHPP could do was just sit and watch while their rights were eroded. Without non-Muslim members in the central leadership, DHPP will not have any impact to try and stop such policies. They never will, actually.

Let me get something straight here. Many non-Malays do not gamble or consume alcohol; there are quite a number who are staunchly against it.

They only fear the state taking control of their lives at the expense of losing their freedom on basic choices. In short, they cherish their secular way of life while respecting people of all faiths and their rights. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.