MB crisis: It will take a few YEARS for Pas to regain the people's trust - analysts

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian opposition party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) has come away from the Selangor leadership crisis more damaged than its allies in the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition — it must now deal with an internal rift, alongside the harm to its reputation for its part in the prolonged troubles, analysts said.

The party’s handling of the crisis was inconsistent throughout, reflecting a stand-off between more progressive elements and a deeply conservative core or the ulama faction, which analysts agreed could set it down a destructive path.

“(The) unfortunate thing for PAS is, the internal debate between the conservatives and progressives became so obvious in this crisis and, as a result of that, I think the whole party is actually suffering and will continue to suffer for another one, two, three years to regain that trust,” said political analyst and PAS member Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

PAS had refused to agree with ally Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) bid to oust incumbent Selangor Chief Minister Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. Together with the Democratic Action Party (DAP), the three parties in PR jointly helm Selangor, Malaysia’s wealthiest state.

But the Islamist party’s discontent over the ouster never came from a united front. PAS progressives had at first willingly consented to replacing Mr Khalid with PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, but the party’s conservative faction — which includes powerful leaders such as party president Abdul Hadi Awang and spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat — said no.

The party came together only after its leadership meeting on Aug 17, at which it eventually agreed to nominate Dr Wan Azizah to the post. It refused at first, however, and even insisted that PKR propose an alternative candidate for the post: PKR deputy president Azmin Ali. But Mr Azmin rejected the nomination, forcing PAS to concede.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia political analyst Samsu Adabi Mamat said PAS’ turnaround damaged its public image as well as its credentials among the party’s conservative grassroots.

“It is viewed as being very inconsistent and some of its hard-core supporters, as well as the fence-sitters, believe it is making yet another concession just to placate its allies in PR.”

Professor Samsu noted that PAS had previously been forced to compromise on its push for an Islamic state and the implementation of hudud by partners PKR and DAP, creating the perception that the Islamist party was a pushover. “Their decision (to accept Dr Wan Azizah) would likely reinforce that perception,” he said.

Analysts also agreed that the episode would intensify the power struggle within PAS, with the ulama faction likely aiming for more control over the party’s direction through its internal election, which is due next year.

“(The ulama faction) will want to wrest control, because you can see that in the central working committee decision (to nominate Dr Wan Azizah), it was as if their voices were not there,” Prof Samsu said.

Mr Wan Saiful said the crisis exposed the limits of the Islamist party’s progressive faction and that the prospect of a ulama faction takeover is strong. “If you look at this particular crisis, the progressives have been completely powerless to influence the party to decide more quickly.”

For now, PAS leaders have made it clear they stand with their allies and are not mulling over the possibility of mutiny.

Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian agreed that PAS’ turnaround had helped avert a PR break-up. But the party’s internal struggle will likely haunt the pact and hamper its chances of ousting governing coalition Barisan Nasional in future elections, he added.

“PAS ... will probably go through prolonged internal soul searching that may lead to a real contest in next year’s party election.” THE MALAY MAIL