Pas has a lot of soul-seaching to do

DEFEAT OF MODERATES: Its unimpressive performance in GE13 raises questions on the path the party has taken in recent years

THERE are nagging questions left unanswered in Pas' unimpressive performance in the 13th General Election (GE13). It lost control of Kedah after capturing the Malay heartland state in 2008, confirming doubts among the Malaysian public over Pas' ability to rule as an effective government. The unexpected defeat of several leaders also raised pertinent questions on the path the Islamist party had taken in recent years.

Pas leaders' contradicting stance on the usage of the word "Allah" in Bahasa Malaysia bibles was cited as one of the reasons why Pas supporters and sympathisers did not support the moderates in Pas in GE13, said Professor Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, head of the politics, security and international affairs cluster of the National Council of Professors.

What went wrong that Pas emerged a major loser in GE13?

Is losing Kedah -- and other defeats in the Malay heartland -- a way of telling Pas that it is losing support of the Malays because they do not want Pas to soften its stand on the implementation of Islamic laws and values?

These are some of the questions within Pas' circles as the party begins conducting a post-mortem on its electoral performance.

Pas won only 21 out of 73 parliamentary seats it contested. The party secured 23 parliamentary seats from 65 contested in 2008.

Not only did Pas secure the lowest number of seats among its allies PKR and DAP in the May 5 polls, it was the only party that lost control of a state. PKR and DAP retained their hold on Selangor and Penang respectively.

Despite public displays of confidence in making inroads in Sabah and Sarawak, Pas failed to win a single seat in both the states.

PKR and DAP secured 12 state and three parliamentary seats in Sabah and six parliamentary seats in Sarawak. Pas also failed to win any seat in the 2011 Sarawak state elections while its allies won 15 seats.

With these questions demanding answers, expect some sparks to fly at the forthcoming Pas annual muktamar.

When the party's faithful gather for the general assembly scheduled from Nov 22 to 24 in Selangor, and where party elections are also due, the popular excuse of blaming Umno and Barisan Nasional for Pas' shortcomings would not be enough.

Party leaders will have to do a lot more of convincing that the 62-year-old party is still on track as an Islamic movement.

Current leaders may not want to openly admit it, but privately there are those who express fear that some party decisions had caused the traditionalists in Pas to be wary of its political allies.

Pas' ulama, long considered the party's mainstay, may be supportive of the political cooperation with PKR and DAP, but had made known they would oppose if the party blindly follows what its allies say, to the extent of making compromises that dilute its function as an Islamic movement.

An interesting development to watch at the coming party polls and the resulting party line-up is the balance of leadership between the ulama class and the progressives or moderates, widely labelled as professionals who are supportive of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The failure of personalities in the progressive group during GE13 -- deputy president Mohamad Sabu or Mat Sabu, vice-presidents Datuk Husam Musa and Sallahudin Ayob and Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad -- is already creating a momentum to push more leaders from the ulama to contest for senior posts, notably the vice-presidency.

The Pas' grassroots are already talking of a possible intense fight for the three vice-president posts even before party branches begin their meetings next week.

The talk is that central committee member Idris Ahmad, Youth chief Nasarudin Hassan Tantawi, Nik Abduh Nik Aziz, the son of Pas spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and Dewan Ulama secretary Dr Khairuddin Aman Razali, who are new Pas members of parliament, would be pushed to contest senior party positions.

Deputy president Mohamed Sabu, or Mat Sabu, may also be challenged.

Nasarudin is one of those expected to try his luck for a vice-president post, the three positions are currently held by Husam, Salahuddin and Datuk Mahfuz Omar, the MP for Pokok Sena.

The new Sepang MP, Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, who is also seen as part of the progressive group, could also be joining the fray.

Over the years, Pas has evolved and successfully shed its conservative image, a strategy of moderation it was forced to adopt for its own political survival.

But the bold measures taken, with many compromises made to bolster its appeal to the non-Muslims, particularly softening its stance on its Islamic state agenda, saw party members and supporters complaining that Pas had compromised too much to be part of the loose opposition pact in its quest to wrest Putrajaya.

This group wants to see the party review this cooperation, which to them has marked a departure from Pas' original goal.

Some Pas members continue to ask why the Islamic state agenda had to be put on the back burner when it was the fundamental issue that led to the inception of Pas in 1951.

Whether Pas will stick with his current direction at the cost of Malay support, or return to its fundamental roots and stands to lose non-Muslim support and support of Muslim moderates, will be clearer at the muktamar.

Read more: Pas has a lot of soul-seaching to do - Columnist - New Straits