KUALA LUMPUR – Soon after PAS president Hadi Awang delivered a speech meant to inspire his members to achieve greater heights, the confidence ballon deflated with a revelation that there are less people liking the party now than before.

Aside that, the more than 1,000 delegates attending the party’s special one-day political seminar Saturday also heard that  PAS cannot hope to be the alternative to Umno in Malaysia’s mainstream politics if it cannot accept the natiobnal constitution that also recognises non-Muslims.

These views were given by academicians Dr Abu Hassan Hasbullah (from the Universiti Malaya) and Dr Abdul Aziz Bari (International Islamic University),  the guest speakers at the seminar who talked on the current state of political affairs in the country and within PAS.

PAS image has dropped

Dr Abu Hassan said findings by research group Zenith Future Studies, which he heads, showed that the image of PAS  has plunged since last year’s general election and despite its favourable showing in several by-elections that had been held since,

The study was conducted on 2,100 respondents who were separated in three age groups: 21 to 30; 31 to 40 and 41 to 50.

In the young group, only 67 respondents (from 633)  said they believed in the PAS leadership; in the middle group, only 181(from 519) and in the elderly group just 396 (from 751).

Another shocker for the delegates was that most of those who answered negatively against the PAS leadership were respondents from the northern and eastern states, which are the traditional strongholds of the party.

Hadi’s leadership was also not spared, as the majority of respondents in all the threee age groups gave him the ‘thimbs down.’

Dr Abu Hassan said there was a ‘rather balanced’ view ( 383: 317) among those aged 41 to 50, as they could be more experienced in poltics.

“But the two younger generations (those of 21-30 years and 31-40 years) appear very aggressive and dependent on their perception,” he said.

Not a viable alternative

Dr Abdul Aziz said PAS, or any party, would not be a viable alternative if it does not accept the country’s constitution.

“So, don't get antagonised and question the status of Islam. We also must concentrate on the non-Muslims and focus on how to win over their hearts," said the IIU law lecturer, whose article in a Malay tabloid lashed out at the party leadership and prompted PAS spiritrual advisor Nik Aziz Nik Mat to call for an extraordinary meeting.

Dr Abdul Aziz chided PAS for blaming Umno every time something negative happened to it, adding that PAS must instead look  within the party circles to correct or resolve issues that arise.

"PAS must become an 'open' party that can be the focus of all the people. Don't play the same old 'blame game' and blame Umno for every  little thing that goes wrong.

“We must focus on the party from within," said Dr Abdul Aziz..

Delegates passed five resolutions

At the end of the one-day seminar, delegates agreed to the following resolutions:

- strengthen the Pakatan Rakyat alliance to face the upcoming general election

- garner more support for PAS from among non-Muslims by expanding the PAS Supporters Club base

- strengthen the party at all levels

- be more youth-friendly

- draw up an action plan to intensify the party's 'PAS for All" campaign - .Malaysian Mirror