PAS will continue to champion Islamic issues in the five Pakatan Rakyat states with the hope that the diverse communities there would eventually accept it.
As a party whose political struggle is based on Islam, it is logical for the party to seek the implementation of Islamic laws, president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said.
He said the party should implement Islamic laws, especially in the three PAS-governed states of Kelantan, Kedah and Perak.
“It does not mean we can fully implement our definition of an Islamic state. It means we implement what we can afford to do, what most people can accept. The faster, the better,” Hadi said when winding up the debates at the annual muktamar (gathering).
At a press conference, Hadi said PAS would push its alliance partners of PKR and DAP to form a Pakatan mentris besar and chief minister council as soon as possible to streamline policies and work on mutual benefits in each of the five states.
Summing up the three-day gathering here, Hadi said the delegates gave a mandate for the PAS leadership to continue with its muqabalah (face-to-face discussions) with anybody including Umno as and when necessary.
He said the earlier discussions with Umno had led to allowing the party news organ Harakah to be published twice a week now compared to twice a month previously.
PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat told journalists separately that he condoned the muqabalah but it must only be on grounds that Umno can be persuaded to adopt a comprehensive form of Islam and drop its secularism policies.
He also said that if Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was younger, he should enter into a boxing match with Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the person who first accused and later swore on the Al Quran that the former sodomised him.
“Let us fight it out this way and settle it as gentlemen. If I were younger, I would have done the same thing,” he said about Saiful’s move to swear on the Holy Book.
Meanwhile the PAS Supporters Club is lobbying for the start of a new wing allowing the club's over 10,000 non-Muslim members to have a greater voice in the party.
Club president Hu Pang Chaw said at the muktamar that with the Dewan Penyokong PAS (PAS supporters wing), non-Muslims would be able to help in further developing the party.
“It would also help banish whatever false perceptions and fears the non-Muslims currently have of PAS that it is a party that does not accept non-Muslims,” he said.
- The Star -