Anwar warned by PAS

From the Singapore Straits Times
IPOH, Aug 15 — In a big setback for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat, Pas Youth leaders warned yesterday that the Islamic party would leave the opposition coalition if Islamic interests were sidelined.

A number of them who spoke at the Youth wing's annual assembly asked members to be wary of Anwar as he seemed bent on brushing aside Islamic law in order to get non-Muslims' support in his bid to become prime minister.

Terengganu delegate Wan Khairy Wan Abdullah said: “We have heard many of his speeches and they confuse us because he does not want Islam to be dominant in the country.”

Penang delegate Mohd Raduan Ramli said some in Pas had made the mistake of giving the leadership mantle to Anwar and Pakatan. “Come Sept 16, we will not be with Pakatan if Islam is not in a governing position,” he said, referring to the date Anwar has set in promising to capture the federal government.

Delegate after angry delegate who spoke also served notice on central Pas leaders: they would be removed from their posts if they entered into cosy deals with Pakatan or Umno, but dared to leave Islam at the door. They reminded leaders that setting up an Islamic state was in the Pas constitution.

“We, the youths of Selangor, will not hesitate to leave Pakatan Rakyat. What is the use of toppling Umno only to replace it with an infidel government, even if it is just?” said Selangor delegate Zulkifli Ahmad. His speech was the hardest hitting and was repeatedly greeted by shouts of “Allahuakbar” (God is Great).

The delegates had uncharacteristically harsh words for some of their leaders for lusting after power “like Umno”.

“Do not deviate from our struggle as the youths are ready to pull down anyone who transgress,” said a Johor delegate.

The remarks are being taken seriously by the central leaders because these delegates were picked to represent the views of the party's 175 divisions.

The angry reaction from the delegates to talks with Umno and for being too close to Pakatan carried the message that they would rather have Pas go it alone than compromise its “Islamic struggle”.

At the end of the meeting yesterday, the 500 delegates called on their central leaders to stop any more talks with Umno, which they said confused the ground.

But they agreed to stay with the Pakatan coalition.

The one-day meeting of the Youth wing, the right wing of the Islamists, was the first time that Pas had gathered everyone together since it and its two Pakatan partners captured five of Malaysia's 13 states in the March general election.

Pakatan's other two members are the multi-racial Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the Chinese-led DAP.

The main assembly, to be attended by some 5,000 leaders, will be opened by party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang today.

To stay with Pakatan or to work with its traditional enemy Umno has become a major issue among Pas's 800,000 members.

While Pas is happy that many non-Muslims voted for it at the March general election, there is much angst that it is losing its focus in defending Islamic issues.