Ulama faction in PAS
likely to stay in control,
says analyst
Syaza Shukri says the Islamic party will likely avoid internal conflict by maintaining the status quo.
Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) said the focus on PAS’s election would likely shift to the posts of deputy and vice-president, as there was no sign of party president Abdul Hadi Awang stepping down.
The deputy president’s position is currently held by Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, while the vice-president’s posts are held by Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, Amar Abdullah, and Idris Ahmad.
Syaza said a key question was whether the next deputy president would align with Hadi and the ulama faction, or face challenges from rival blocs.
She said PAS would likely seek to avoid internal conflict by maintaining the status quo in the domination of religious scholars.
“The ulama faction will remain in control because there is no political courage in PAS to push for change and prevent splits,” she told FMT.
Last month, Tuan Ibrahim said he had yet to decide whether to defend his position as deputy president as he wanted to see who else was running for the other leadership posts.
Samsuri also said that he was still considering whether to defend his vice-president’s post, which he has held since 2019.
“If I feel it’s time to make way for fresher faces, then why not step aside?” he said last month.
FMT previously quoted a source as saying that Hadi remained highly motivated to lead PAS, with no indication of any plans to step down despite calls for him to make way for other leaders in the party polls.
Some PAS members had reportedly urged Hadi, the Marang MP, to make way for younger leaders, especially as the Islamic party gears up for the 16th general election.
Analyst Lau Zhe Wei, also of IIUM, said if Hadi stayed on as president, Tuan Ibrahim’s position was likely secure.
“For this leadership race, as long as Hadi remains, I don’t foresee many issues arising or any major surprises,” he said.
Of course, PAS is not PAS without the Ulama in control.
ReplyDelete