RPETALING JAYA: A split has formed at the highest level of the PAS leadership over whether the party should leave Pakatan Rakyat and align itself to Umno and the Barisan Nasional.
The difference in stand has pitched party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang against Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
Abdul Hadi is the leading figure of the group in favour of negotiations with Umno whereas Nik Aziz is the figurehead of the group that is against working with Umno. They have been issuing conflicting statements on the matter the last few weeks.
A source close to the Kelantan PAS leadership said the standoff between the two groups was so great that Abdul Hadi left for London two weeks ago to seek advice from Ikhwan or the Muslim Brotherhood.
The outcome of the meeting with Ikhwan, whom PAS regards as senior Muslim brother, is unclear at this point but some claimed that Abdul Hadi had also asked the Ikhwan leadership for a fatwa on the issue.
The dilemma came about following the March 8 elections where PKR and DAP did so well that PAS was reduced to a junior partner in Pakatan Rakyat. PKR won 31 parliamentary seats, DAP 28 and PAS 23.
The hardline group, which is largely Terengganu-based, was uncomfortable with what they saw as the “liberal” stance of PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Islamic issues.
They also felt that they could not work with the DAP because of its well-known opposition to Islamic law and administration.
This group was on the verge of meeting top Umno leaders for talks until Nik Aziz stepped in to object.
The source said this group felt that “between Umno and DAP, Umno is the lesser of two evils.”
The pro-Umno group is also concerned that staying on with Pakatan Rakyat would compromise its Islamic agenda.
This group includes powerful figures like deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa, ultra-conservative ulama Datuk Harun Taib, party strategist Datuk Mustafa Ali and one-time strongman Bakar Chik.
However, Mustafa insisted that there would be no hook-up between PAS and Umno.
“It’s not going to happen,” he claimed.
The anti-Umno group is more extensive and has the support of the more contemporary leaders in the party. This group feels that its earlier experience of being part of the Umno-led government in the 1970s should not be repeated.
Nik Aziz, who is also PAS spiritual leader or Mursyidul Am, had said at one interview that, “orang mukmin tidak akan dipatuk ular yang sama dalam lobang yang sama,” (one does not get bitten by the same snake from the same hole twice).
This group believes that PAS supporters would abandon the party in droves if it aligns with Umno which also has partners who are against the establishment of an Islamic state.
They are of the view that PAS should help Pakatan Rakyat make a success of the five state governments instead of trying to destabilise it.
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