“You see what’s happening even in Saudi Arabia. People talk about the extremism experienced there.

“But now, (Saudi Arabian Crown Prince) Mohammed bin Salman has paved the way to modernise life in Saudi Arabia without giving in on the hard and fast rules about Islamic life.

“If PAS can adopt that, maybe it will be acceptable here,” Tengku Razaleigh told FMT in an exclusive interview.

PAS still seen as extreme

Tengku Razaleigh, who served as Gua Musang MP for four decades until 2022, said PAS continues to be perceived by many Malaysians as a party focused on enforcing religious restrictions.

“People look at PAS as a religious party that will make rules and force people to comply with their religious beliefs and rituals.

“It may not be so, but we don’t know. We have seen some of the things they have done in Kelantan where they rule. Some people don’t like them, and interpret these things as (a sign of) things to come in the future if they rule the country.

“So they reject PAS because of that,” he said.

In Kelantan, PAS has intensified religious enforcement, imposing dress codes for women, stringent regulations on entertainment, and strict requirements for concert permits. Public events are also subject to gender segregation, reinforcing the party’s ultra-conservative image.

Tengku Razaleigh said it was incumbent upon PAS to uphold fairness both in principle and practice.

Islam is “all about truth anyway”, he said.

“Our religion treats everybody equally. There is no discrimination in Islam. (PAS) must demonstrate that, and not little things about (dressing) and all the other things they are trying to force people to comply with.”