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By Debra Chong
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 – Who is the boss in PAS? The question – brought out in the open by a Negri Sembilan representative, Mohd Khairil Anuar Wafa – underscores the entire Islamist party’s special seminar here today.
The gathering was intended to strengthen the party’s ranks and dispel persisting views of a irrevocable split between party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and its spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat.
“Who is the real authority in the part? The president? Or the Mursyidul Am?” Mohd Khairil asked.
He said the grassroots were confused over whose orders they should follow.
“We don’t want two captains in one ship,” he added, and warned that if the issue was not made plain and clear to the members and the masses, it would spell the end of the party. “This will cause the ship to sink,” he said.
Mohd Khairil also noted a need for the central leadership to be clear in stating the party’s policies and direction because the party seemed to be “moving without a destination.”
He slammed them for being slow to nip disputes in the bud, such as when they were still at party-level, which allowed the issues to grow out of hand and become a national problem and cited the growing disagreements among Pakatan Rakyat (PR) components in Selangor as an example.
Mohd Khairil explained that he was fully supportive of the party’s expressed desire to remain a part of PR, but the coalition must be clear about the common objectives and what each party can and cannot do.
He was frustrated at the seeming limits placed on PAS to talk about the rights of Muslims and Malays even though they constituted the majority community in Malaysia.
He pointed out that the core issues were still ambiguous, especially on Islamic issues, which frequently sowed confusion among partner parties and the public.
“What’s the stand now on setting up an Islamic state?” he asked.
“The Islamic policy must be explained in detail so supporters can get the benefit of understanding the Islamic movement,” Mohd Khairil said.
The delegates before Mohd Khairil had expressed their concern over the public perception that PAS is less committed to making the fledgling alliance a viable alternative to the ruling front than its other Pakatan partners, DAP and PKR.
