“My GE15 wish list: Allay PAS’ hypocrisy at all costs for a better M’sia”
MALAYSIA has many political parties that are either race-based or multiracial in nature but PAS stood out as the only religious-centric party that is undermining non-Islamic practitioners and believers.
By S. Shashi Kumar
With their long-term objective and goals to create an Islamic state, PAS had in the past been associated with attempts to create hudud law and mooting an array of bans ranging from the traditional Malay dance theatres (i.e. wayang kulit) to the enforcement of female dress codes, advertisements depicting women whose aurat (sensitive body parts) are exposed, cinemas, concerts and karaoke to pressuring non-Muslim women to wear headscarves on certain occasions or even enacting the death penalty for Muslims who attempt apostasy.
We can see PAS’s hypocrisy and double standards when they want to ban cinemas and theatres but PAS Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari was seen at the screening of Mat Kilau in Kuala Lumpur (in this instance, watching a movie in the cinema is not haram or forbidden because PAS supports patriotic local films).
The Pasir Mas MP was most notoriously remembered for being a vocal proponent of the proposal to build a new cinema in Kelantan in 2016. At that time, he claimed that cinemas were a source of maksiat (social ills).
Ahmad Fadhli Shaari
Slew of show-offs
In recent times, Ahmad Fadhli again threatened nationwide protests unless scheduled concerts featuring international artists are cancelled, claiming that such events encourage hedonism and were incompatible with the norms and values of Muslim life in Malaysia.
Isn’t this an extremist view while portraying as if PAS Muslims are the only group of people living in Malaysia while others have to oblige to their demands or have no rights on the matter?
Moreover, party president Tan Sri Hadi Awang’s statement which claimed that the “root of corruption” lies with non-Muslims and non-Bumiputeras is evident of his fanaticism and hatred against non-Muslims or non-Islamic practitioners.
Slew of show-offs
In recent times, Ahmad Fadhli again threatened nationwide protests unless scheduled concerts featuring international artists are cancelled, claiming that such events encourage hedonism and were incompatible with the norms and values of Muslim life in Malaysia.
Isn’t this an extremist view while portraying as if PAS Muslims are the only group of people living in Malaysia while others have to oblige to their demands or have no rights on the matter?
Moreover, party president Tan Sri Hadi Awang’s statement which claimed that the “root of corruption” lies with non-Muslims and non-Bumiputeras is evident of his fanaticism and hatred against non-Muslims or non-Islamic practitioners.
Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang
In all probability, PAS leaders lack intellectual wisdom and education. Here we can see the arrogance of PAS leaders with Hadi’s refusal to apologies for his remarks.
Obviously, PAS has not been aligned with our Federal Constitution, especially Articles 3 (Religion of the Federation), 4 (Supreme Law of the Federation), 5 (Liberty of a Person), 8 (Equality) and 11 (Freedom of Religion).
As of Oct 15, Malaysia has been elected as part of the UN’s Human Rights Council. Prime Minister Ismail Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob himself has stated that Malaysia will work closely with the UN to enshrine, comply and oblige with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.
With all this, PAS has become an obsolete political party with no direction, objective, vision or mission for Malaysia or Malaysians. Their only product is to create propaganda that Islam is under threat and to protect Islam from its enemies.
Zero contribution to nation building
In all probability, PAS leaders lack intellectual wisdom and education. Here we can see the arrogance of PAS leaders with Hadi’s refusal to apologies for his remarks.
Obviously, PAS has not been aligned with our Federal Constitution, especially Articles 3 (Religion of the Federation), 4 (Supreme Law of the Federation), 5 (Liberty of a Person), 8 (Equality) and 11 (Freedom of Religion).
As of Oct 15, Malaysia has been elected as part of the UN’s Human Rights Council. Prime Minister Ismail Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob himself has stated that Malaysia will work closely with the UN to enshrine, comply and oblige with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.
With all this, PAS has become an obsolete political party with no direction, objective, vision or mission for Malaysia or Malaysians. Their only product is to create propaganda that Islam is under threat and to protect Islam from its enemies.
Zero contribution to nation building
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
That is the only way for them to stay relevant with little to no progress in terms of a track record of fostering economic development.
What the party does best is to fan hatred, fanaticism, racism and extremism. They have not done anything good or worthy for Malaysians except complain and create disharmony.
In all fairness, political parties such as PAS are irrelevant to Malaysian standards and culture. Having PAS in the government of the day would only create further damage to the nation economically with many more investors eventually pulling out of Malaysia, thus creating economic and job crisis upheavals.
Malaysia has gained its independence 65 years ago by becoming the most popular multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious society in the world. Malaysians of various ethnic groups and creeds have co-existed peacefully and harmoniously.
According to the Global Human Rights Federation’s (GHRF) vice-secretary and spokesperson for Sarawak, Peter John Jaban, PAS is at best unwelcomed in Sarawak. PAS spread its wings to Sarawak in 1996 but has yet to win any seat since its first participation in the state election in 2001.
The Islamic party has never won a single seat in Sarawak because they like to harp on insensitivities towards non-Islamic religions. In the previous 14th General Election (GE14), PAS has not won or obtained any state or parliamentary seat in the state.
In essence, PAS will never ever be able to buy into the Malaysian PM’s much talked about “Keluarga Malaysia” concept. – Sept 25, 2022
Shashi Kumar is president of the Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF), a Kuala Lumpur-based NGO fighting against racism, supremacist policies, religious persecution, double standard law enforcement, discrimination and oppression of minority groups.
That is the only way for them to stay relevant with little to no progress in terms of a track record of fostering economic development.
What the party does best is to fan hatred, fanaticism, racism and extremism. They have not done anything good or worthy for Malaysians except complain and create disharmony.
In all fairness, political parties such as PAS are irrelevant to Malaysian standards and culture. Having PAS in the government of the day would only create further damage to the nation economically with many more investors eventually pulling out of Malaysia, thus creating economic and job crisis upheavals.
Malaysia has gained its independence 65 years ago by becoming the most popular multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious society in the world. Malaysians of various ethnic groups and creeds have co-existed peacefully and harmoniously.
According to the Global Human Rights Federation’s (GHRF) vice-secretary and spokesperson for Sarawak, Peter John Jaban, PAS is at best unwelcomed in Sarawak. PAS spread its wings to Sarawak in 1996 but has yet to win any seat since its first participation in the state election in 2001.
The Islamic party has never won a single seat in Sarawak because they like to harp on insensitivities towards non-Islamic religions. In the previous 14th General Election (GE14), PAS has not won or obtained any state or parliamentary seat in the state.
In essence, PAS will never ever be able to buy into the Malaysian PM’s much talked about “Keluarga Malaysia” concept. – Sept 25, 2022
Shashi Kumar is president of the Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF), a Kuala Lumpur-based NGO fighting against racism, supremacist policies, religious persecution, double standard law enforcement, discrimination and oppression of minority groups.
First, the heading should be something like "expose" not "allay"
ReplyDeleteSecond "The Pasir Mas MP was most notoriously remembered for being a vocal proponent of the proposal to build a new cinema in Kelantan in 2016. At that time, he claimed that cinemas were a source of maksiat (social ills)."
Should it be "opponent" rather than "proponent"?
Apart from that, I generally agree with his article save the part about the PM "Keluarga Malaysia" concept. Is there really keluarga Malaysia?
Where was the PM when Hadi spewed his racist nonsense? The problem is that turtle himself is a true and true ketuanan.