PERDANA LIBRARY PERDANA LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION NEWSPAPER CLIPPING

Newspaper The Sun

Date 6/6/2011

PAS dynamism restored > 57th muktamar reflects new, more confident party, with reformists taking the helm

and there was easy mixing between PAS leaders deputy president and ulama Nasharudin Mat Isa. and leaders of the labour and socialist parties. It was clear to the reformists that he had to go. Race was emphasised only under the leadership When it became apparent that he had the support [email protected] of Datuk Asri Muda. of the conservative ulama in his bid to defend his As for the Islamic state agenda, it became part position against or Mat Sabu, IF THE late nationalist Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy of the party struggle under Yusof Rawa who took another ulama - Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man - PAS's third president who did much to turn the over the party's leadership after the Iranian - was persuaded to contest. Umno breakaway into a strong party with its Revolution of 1979. The agenda took a definite The ulama vote was split and firebrand and own identity and ideology - were alive today, he shape under Datuk and Datuk Seri street-wise non-ulama won the deputy would probably be pleased with this year's who promoted the idea of presidency for the first time. The reformists also muktamar. leadership by the ulama. It was this agenda that won all the three vice-president posts and most He would be happy to note that delegates to had been the stumbling block to attempts at of the central working committee seats. the muktamar had no qualms at all about electoral understanding with other opposition The position of Abdul Hadi as president could criticising the ulama for their unwillingness to parties, especially the DAP, to deny the ruling have been affected but for the tradition that the encourage progressive thinking among Muslims its dominance in the national president remain unchallenged. He had earlier in the country. legislature. on been seen as close to Nasharudin, something One ulama who was lampooned was Perak PAS gained new members and support party spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria who was following widespread protests against the was not too pleased about. referred to as "poco-poco" ulama for banning the sacking of deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Thus it came as no surprise to delegates that dance in the state but refusing to censure parties Anwar Ibrahim which the party capitalised on to in his speeches he rejected completely unity with calling for a sex video allegedly depicting an win its most number of parliamentary seats - 27. Umno. It was also a signal to delegates. opposition leader to be made public. Most of the new members, including those who The Islamic state agenda was mentioned but The different tenor of the debates appeared to joined after 2008, began to influence the party's much downplayed. It is expected to be on the indicate that some aspects of the Islamist- leaders to stay with and to backburner until it is allowed to fade away or nationalist philosophy Burhanuddin had striven undertake reform to facilitate the smooth until such time when the party is ready to review to propagate as the party's ideology were functioning of the grouping. its position in the party struggle. Coming close to re-emerging and inspiring members to take the To these reform-minded members, which a general election, there is fear that rural voters present course of de-emphasising ethnicity and included professionals as well as ulama, it was may misunderstand. the Islamic state agenda. time for the party to move on from a mere Malay unity talk was fiercely criticised by the Burhanuddin had struggled to give the then opposition party to being part of a governing delegates, many of whom said it was aimed at fledgling party - with the names of many of its group. benefiting only Umno and the BN. members still registered with Umno - character They were, of course, challenged by another "Why share the Malay votes with Umno when and strength to fight the mother party's efforts to group of members who prefer to be part of the we can compete and win them all," a delegate re-absorb it. To his credit, in 1959 PAS captured existing ruling group - Umno or BN - to be said yesterday, reflecting that a new and more . achieved through a process touted as Malay unity. confident party had emerged from the 57th There was no talk of race or ethnicity then Among those who flirted with the idea was muktamar.