Ilham Centre executive director Hisomuddin Bakar said the ulamas are more hardline in their thinking. The party would be better positioned to win the support of the non-Malays if it has more professionals among its leaders, he said.
“When it comes to the party’s top positions and hierarchy, it is as though the professionals and activists (within PAS) suffer from some sort of inferiority complex.
“The ustaz group within PAS tends to take a more hardline ideological stance in matters relating to (Islamic) law. Many of their statements revolve around whether something is ‘haram’ or ‘halal’,” Hisomuddin told FMT.
He said such debates cause non-Muslims to distance themselves from PAS, despite having previously supported the party when the late Nik Aziz Nik Mat was its spiritual leader.
Hisomuddin said PAS needs to shine the spotlight on young, moderate and professional figures so that the party can progress, having already bolstered its support among Malay-Muslim voters.
He named Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, a PAS vice-president, party secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, Bachok MP Syahir Sulaiman and Jerantut MP Khairil Nizam Khirudin as moderates capable of taking the party forward.
Samsuri is a former head of the aerospace department at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the UK, Takiyuddin is a lawyer, Syahir has an economics degree while Khairil is a mechanical engineer who worked in Petronas.
“A balance in the PAS leadership which represents all segments of society and has the credibility and competence to deal with (national) issues, will give the party added strength when the 16th general election comes along,” Hisomuddin said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM) Mazlan Ali said PAS needs to champion larger issues instead of just focusing on issues involving the Malays and Muslims.
“(PAS needs to) focus on more universal issues, like combating corruption, strengthening unity, and establishing good governance and integrity.
“The party’s ‘PAS for All’ and ‘Welfare State’ agendas from previous times were the best,” he said.