In The Peole's Parliament,( Great, now assure the rest of us, PAS) Haris states that Zaid apparently told him in a phone conversation, “Haris, things will only get better. I’ll stake my life on this” .....
Well, I'll take that with a pinch of salt, belacan, budu, tempoyak or whatever - going by the track record of PAS so far, I think Zaid is betting against some heavy odds.
Umno, over the last 30 years under Mahathir, has evolved into a brain-dead organization - which would naturally become extremist in nature. Yes - Umno is EXTREMIST!! They are RACISTS!! They are grabbing at any issue that can "propel them with an image of being willing to go to extreme lengths to get what they want - and MCA finances them through it all.
Never mind that the word in town is that there are among Umno leadership who love "nightlife, butt-groping and single malt" - they have jumped the bandwagon of Islamism and sharpened their Islamist rhetoric.
It knows that PAS has become the darling of the masses with their moderation of late through TG Nik Aziz (Hadi is a different story lah ...), and a viable alternative to Umno - and they also know that PAS's simple-mindedness is Pakatan's achilles heel. "Islam" is definitely PAS's strength, but the simpletons who adopt "Islamism" as a political tool, is at once, also their weakness - and the problem is, they don't see the difference. Many within PAS (and without, too), still believe that being "Talibanesque" is being more Islamic.
Quite some time back (in 2007, I think) I had written that the problem with PAS's politics, is the fact that they have no moral convictions despite all their high-flung Islamist rhetoric. Their focus is often on the "clothes/cloak" of Islam, rather than the heart of it. They wouldn't blink an eye when they betray their voters when it comes to "Islamist" agendas. They are quick to fall victim to Umno's needling on Islamic matters (on the simplistic matters of "image" and not faith), and Umno knows this. Time and again they have successfully sent PAS into retreat just playing on emotions and the image factor - and many of the PAS ulamas are so incompetent, that they cannot debate with them on how Islam can be perfectly compatible with a secular state that upholds Islamic "VALUES" and principles, without depending on medieval laws and edicts to guide them.
Today, besides evoking anger among Muslims/ Malays and seeking to drive a wedge between Malaysians, Umno has gone on the offensive by attacking PAS's Islamic system/understanding - and they play up matters that strike the imaginations of the simple folk.
The Umno Youth under Khairy Jamalludin has gone out to town saying that a vote for PAS is a vote for DAP, and that “Maybe one day pork will be sold openly in Shah Alam” - and these simplistic arguments are bound to get the PAS fellas shrinking in their jubahs, with them rushing out to look at scriptures throwing common sense to the wind.
It remains to be seen if PAS can rise to the challenge and recalibrate their definition of Islamic values and principles which make life in a plural society a pleasure instead of an ordeal. So, I'm not so sure about Zaid's bet- not until he can say that Pakatan Rakyat is a formal coalition which adopts the People's Declaration as its blueprint, and abide by it - especially where our PAS and PKR jihadis (like Hasan Ali, Zul Nordin and Nasharidin) are concerned.
Meanwhile, I'll just keep my fingers crossed ....
======================================
Related:-
The "Secular" Controversy
The PAS factor - A Viable Alternative?
The PAS "Cooperation" and Vote.
Well, I'll take that with a pinch of salt, belacan, budu, tempoyak or whatever - going by the track record of PAS so far, I think Zaid is betting against some heavy odds.
Umno, over the last 30 years under Mahathir, has evolved into a brain-dead organization - which would naturally become extremist in nature. Yes - Umno is EXTREMIST!! They are RACISTS!! They are grabbing at any issue that can "propel them with an image of being willing to go to extreme lengths to get what they want - and MCA finances them through it all.
Never mind that the word in town is that there are among Umno leadership who love "nightlife, butt-groping and single malt" - they have jumped the bandwagon of Islamism and sharpened their Islamist rhetoric.
It knows that PAS has become the darling of the masses with their moderation of late through TG Nik Aziz (Hadi is a different story lah ...), and a viable alternative to Umno - and they also know that PAS's simple-mindedness is Pakatan's achilles heel. "Islam" is definitely PAS's strength, but the simpletons who adopt "Islamism" as a political tool, is at once, also their weakness - and the problem is, they don't see the difference. Many within PAS (and without, too), still believe that being "Talibanesque" is being more Islamic.
Quite some time back (in 2007, I think) I had written that the problem with PAS's politics, is the fact that they have no moral convictions despite all their high-flung Islamist rhetoric. Their focus is often on the "clothes/cloak" of Islam, rather than the heart of it. They wouldn't blink an eye when they betray their voters when it comes to "Islamist" agendas. They are quick to fall victim to Umno's needling on Islamic matters (on the simplistic matters of "image" and not faith), and Umno knows this. Time and again they have successfully sent PAS into retreat just playing on emotions and the image factor - and many of the PAS ulamas are so incompetent, that they cannot debate with them on how Islam can be perfectly compatible with a secular state that upholds Islamic "VALUES" and principles, without depending on medieval laws and edicts to guide them.
Today, besides evoking anger among Muslims/ Malays and seeking to drive a wedge between Malaysians, Umno has gone on the offensive by attacking PAS's Islamic system/understanding - and they play up matters that strike the imaginations of the simple folk.The Umno Youth under Khairy Jamalludin has gone out to town saying that a vote for PAS is a vote for DAP, and that “Maybe one day pork will be sold openly in Shah Alam” - and these simplistic arguments are bound to get the PAS fellas shrinking in their jubahs, with them rushing out to look at scriptures throwing common sense to the wind.
It remains to be seen if PAS can rise to the challenge and recalibrate their definition of Islamic values and principles which make life in a plural society a pleasure instead of an ordeal. So, I'm not so sure about Zaid's bet- not until he can say that Pakatan Rakyat is a formal coalition which adopts the People's Declaration as its blueprint, and abide by it - especially where our PAS and PKR jihadis (like Hasan Ali, Zul Nordin and Nasharidin) are concerned.
Meanwhile, I'll just keep my fingers crossed ....
======================================
Related:-
The "Secular" Controversy
The PAS factor - A Viable Alternative?
The PAS "Cooperation" and Vote.
Cruzeiro,
ReplyDeleteThere are 2 questions here;
If PAS is political savvy enough, they could pronounce it to tall that beer is clasified as beverages (minuman ringan) and not intoxicated drink (in Malay its minuman keras) under the civil law.
Thus, Ronnie's advice that MBSA's action in confiscation what is considered as beverage drinks under the Law is against the law itself.
This is because under the existing law, you don't need special license to sell beverages (minuman ringan)
And thus, if PAS is political savvy, it could, on their own call for the amendment in the respective laws to include beer as intoxicated drink.
But they didnt.
Now,
Do PAS leaders know this fact?
If they are ignorant, then the spat between Hasan Ali and Ronnie Liu is 'accidental' and out of ignorance of law. Both should be reprimanded due to their ignorance of the civil and syariah law.
However, I shudder at the thought that PAS leaders are aware of the situation and purposely started this spat.
If this is the case, then there are 2 possibilities;
1. Hasan Ali still trying his best to be MB under coalition of PAS-UMNO
2. They are just like UMNO, following the rule of law whenever it suited their convenience. However, to be fair DAP Kedah is also guilty of this when comes to the illegal pig slaughtering house.
If it's no 1, then PR is facing greater risk.
If it's no 2, then PR must stress among its partners that it is important to follow the rule of law.
If it's no 1 and 2, then I think PR is doomed.
Dear anonymous,
ReplyDeleteFirstly, let me say here that IMHO, PAS doesn't come anywhere close to being "politically savvy" - they are too used to "kampung politics". They have been falling for Umno's manipulations time & again over the decades - and haven't learned "jack".
They however have this opportunity to come out of their cocoon and learn something new with their Pakatan brothers- and it's a steep learning curve, if you ask me - and they are doing quite well actually. Despite all their efforts, like all "newbies" tend to they do still backslide into old habits.
Umno fears what PAS can learn in Pakatan - the art of coalition politics- and wish to prevent that at all cost, lest Umno loses the little Malay support that they have for now.
This is where Hassan and Nasha come into the picture - they cannot control their lust for power, and have fallen victim to temptation.
Zul Nordin is a different story though .....
He's just another intellectual amoeba trying to rattle some nerves and make a name for himself on the Islamic agenda ....
As for your 1 & 2 .... well No.1 is a foregone conclusion. Now for No.2, well, technically speaking, they didn't do anything wrong in the illegal abattoir affair - they just were ignorant of how to expedite the issue amicably.
PAS, for now, due to their "reclusiveness", lack the political "finesse and tact" which Umno possesses. They need to learn - and they need to do it real fast, as TG Nik Aziz would be around forever ......