"PAS Confident Taking Over Selangor?" But How About "Beer, Shorts and Concerts?"

"PAS Confident Taking Over Selangor?" But How About "Beer, Shorts and Concerts?"

28 Feb 2024


JK Joseph
Repentant ex-banker who believes in truth, compassion and some humour

Credit Image: Berita Harian


After steamrolling their opponents in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu in the last state elections in 2023 and inflicting considerable damage on its foes in Penang and Selangor, is PAS, riding on its talismanic “green wave” set to engulf and finally conquer the country’s wealthiest state?


Call it confidence or just plain foolhardiness, the Islamist party appears to be in a gung ho mood as it eyes the next general elections due in 2027; and by the looks of things, it may not even want to rely too much on its troubled partner Bersatu!


In fact, according to a recent report in FMT, its Selangor information chief Zurk Ahmad had said the party was banking on its “PAS for All” campaign to capture the state; he added that he was confident Selangor would become more prosperous and be able to provide more job opportunities while vowing to transform it into an economically competitive state, ensuring corruption-free politics, and improving the utilisation of resources.


While sceptics may dismiss all that as day-dreaming, yet remarkably, there are some experts who reckon that PAS’ goal of securing more seats in Selangor is actually realistic; for the record, it currently holds only 10 seats but it did manage to bag 15 seats in the 2013 general election, when it was part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition with PKR and DAP.


Admittedly, the Islamist party and its leaders may be smart and shrewd strategists, but in this case, is confidence alone enough for it to realise its cherished goal of capturing Selangor - which it may see as the “key” to Putrajaya?


The truth is, with PAS already banning lottery draws and restricting alcohol sales in the four northern states that it now controls, won't non-Muslims have the right to be concerned that their (other) rights may be eroded too, should the Islamist party come to power?


And what about its fondness for calling non-Muslims “kafir” (infidels) which is often seen as an insult to the latter? Haven’t all these generated a phobia in the minds of non-Muslims - and even some urban Malays?


Indeed, if the truth of the pudding is in the eating, then PAS seems to have performed miserably as far as non-Muslims are concerned; this is clearly evident in Kelantan, which it has ruled for more than three decades and where some of its non-Malay residents are known to be frustrated by the way it governs.


For the record, among the common grouses cited by non-Muslims there is that they are often referred to as “kafir”and also the overall, poor governance of the state, especially in managing the economy; in fact, Kelantan has now become one of the poorest states in Malaysia, with absolute poverty levels at an astounding 12.4%! Could Selangor eventually suffer a similar fate if PAS' "green army” did somehow capture the state?


Another mammoth hurdle standing in the way, of course, is its arch-enemy DAP, which has effectively sewn up the non-Muslim vote, not just in Selangor but at national level too, where it forms the second-largest bloc in Parliament with 40 lawmakers.


Besides, there is another huge downside, in that, the Islamist party may lack a credible and respectable leader in the eyes of the non-Muslims; clearly, it needs someone like the late Nik Aziz Nik Mat, its spiritual leader from 1991 to 2015, who played a key role in boosting the party’s popularity among non-Muslims, with his moderate stance - and one who personified the “PAS for All” tagline!


However, as it is, no matter how passionately its party members may deny it, PAS' current leadership is seen as purely Malay-Muslim-centric, often spooking the other races with their extremist rhetoric; furthermore, unlike Pakatan Harapan, PAS doesn't seem to have done anything noteworthy to convince the electorate that they are a party that can uphold the rights of all races.


Another legitimate fear for non-Muslims is that a PAS government would also tighten their personal freedoms. After all, it has often vehemently opposed concerts by foreign artistes and imposed rules on attire for Muslim women, like what was seen in Terengganu last year when they clamped down on the sporting attire for Muslim women-gymnasts - in spite of having a moderate, highly-educated and well-liked menteri besar in Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar?


Incidentally, another big “fear factor” for non-Muslims - especially in a modern state like Selangor - may be the potential imposition of syariah laws; this may be something alien to many non-Malays in the state who may have been accustomed to mainly secular surroundings all their lives.


In fact, many may not have entirely forgotten about the controversy caused by a zealous PAS MP in Penang last year who demanded that a beer promotion event inside a shopping mall in Seberang Jaya be “covered up!”


According to a report in the Star back then, the party's Permatang Pauh MP had reportedly marched into the mall and demanded that the beer promotion not be done openly - even though it was held in conjunction with the Chinese New Year and was not meant for Muslims!


Could such extreme acts play out in the chic, ultra-modern shopping malls in Petaling Jaya should PAS come to power in the state one day? Will clothing store mannequins be ordered to be fully “covered up” too and teddy bears be banned for certain segments of the populace?


Perhaps, in the final analysis, Hannah Yeoh, the popular DAP MP for Segambut may have summed it up perfectly when she pointed out that PAS may “portray” itself as a party that welcomes people of all ethnicities; however, the fact that some of it’s top leaders, including its current president Abdul Hadi Awang, continue to openly sow racial discord and division in their speeches (not caring for the feelings of other races) is enough to make the non-Malays in the state to reject the very notion of a PAS menteri besar.


In fact, she may have hit the bullseye too, as Hadi was once quoted to have said that non-Muslims and non-Bumiputeras made up the bulk of what he called the “roots of corruption” in the country - effectively blaming the Chinese and Indians for the prevalence of bribery cases!


As a seasoned politician, and a born and bred Selangorian, who is popular with non-Malays and Malay-Muslims alike, Hannah should know better - but will the opposition party's grassroots and its top leaders listen?


Maybe, until they fix the elephant in the room (and they have more than one) the Islamist party’s recently rehashed magic mantra “PAS for All”, will most likely remain an empty call!