Amanah entering 2nd phase after outlasting Semangat 46, says Adly

 Party vice-president Adly Zahari says Amanah must now prove it can survive, produce new leadership, and govern effectively.

Amanah vice-president Adly Zahari said the party succeeded in building a base in states such as Johor, Melaka, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, and Kelantan within 10 years of its inception.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 After more than a decade of navigating Malaysia’s political landscape, Amanah is now entering a new phase with stronger confidence, says its vice-president Adly Zahari.

He said the milestone was significant as Amanah had not only outlasted earlier Malay-based parties like Semangat 46, but continued to grow as a relevant player in national politics.

Semangat 46, led by former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, was formed in 1989 after the 1987 Umno party elections where he lost the contest for the presidency to Dr Mahathir Mohamad by 43 votes. It was dissolved in 1996.

“Amanah has been around for more than 10 years with about 200,000 members. Compared with other Malay parties that were formed, many did not last long.

“During this period, Amanah not only survived, but managed to build a base in states such as Johor, Melaka, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Kelantan,” he said in an interview with FMT.

Formed in 2015 by PAS dissidents, Amanah positions itself as a moderate Islamic party within Pakatan Harapan.

It currently holds eight parliamentary seats and 11 state assembly seats, comprising five in Selangor and one each in six other states.

Adly, the Alor Gajah MP, said that as the party entered its second decade, its focus was not only on maintaining support but also on strengthening the party by developing young leadership.

He said Amanah was giving greater opportunities to new talent, including educated youth and those with experience in government administration.

“If we want Amanah to move forward, we must develop successors. That is why many young people are given space, including in government administration,” he said.

Adly, who is also chairman of Melaka Amanah, said the party’s participation in government after the 15th general election was an important opportunity to prove Amanah’s capability, not only as a political party but also as part of the national administration.

Asked whether it had succeeded in becoming an alternative to PAS, Adly said Amanah was not formed to replace any other party.

Instead, he said, Amanah promotes a different approach based on the concept of “rahmah for all”, with an emphasis on social justice, values-based education, public well-being, and efforts to tackle poverty.

“We do not intend to replace PAS. Our mode of struggle is different.”

On the perception that cooperation with DAP was a political liability, Adly said this was a common challenge in Malaysia’s multiracial politics.

He said DAP was a large party, and that any party that cooperated with it would draw attention. He added that their cooperation was built on shared principles, particularly social justice.

“But PAS itself once worked with DAP for a long period. The fact is, in a plural society, cooperation between multi-ethnic parties is a necessity.

“We are open to cooperating with any party that shares the same principles,” he said. - FMT