Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Posted: 31 Aug 2013 12:40 PM PDT

There seem to be fear that the ideologies of opposition leaders may split PAS into two factions. "While political observers brand the consequences of 2008 as a political tsunami, I would for one describe it as nothing more than the revitalisation of liberalism in Malaysia. This has unnerved the conservatives, particularly those in PAS."

Hawkeye, FMT

The "two-party system" which took shape after the 2008 general election triggered a rise of liberalisation values in Malaysia's political, social and religious scenes, says a former state PAS leader here.

This trend in turn has unsettled the conservative movement, which consist of Islamic clerics, academicians, as well as social rights activists, said, Mohammed Hafiz Nordin, who was once the Penang PAS Youth head here.

"While political observers brand the consequences of 2008 as a political tsunami, I would for one describe it as nothing more than the revitalisation of liberalism in Malaysia. This has unnerved the conservatives, particularly those in PAS."

"For decades, Malaysia remains a peaceful country of multi-ethnic and multi-religious composition. We respect each other but now, we see the liberals as forsaking our social contract by demanding that we adopt policies which appear to be forcing us (conservatives) to make more concessions."

Among those was the apathy shown towards allowing non-believers to use a "surau" (Islam place of worship) to meditate at a resort in Johor, Hafiz said.

PAS is a party which prides itself in the constant struggle of Islam, therefore it should not subscribe to any efforts to liberalise or reform its own religion.

The values and convictions of Islam is for eternity, Hafiz said in an interview.

"Islam is perfect, so why must some parties spin it for political gains?"

PAS is split

Hence, there is now a split in PAS, between the conservative movement of clerics and the liberalism faction of technocrats and professionals, who may be unduly influenced by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, he claimed.

This has led to a phase of uncertainty in Malaysia's political future. In the last election, it showed that Barisan Nasional was canceled out by Pakatan Rakyat in the urban areas, whereas in the rural states, it was the opposite, he said.

Fast forward to today, the conservatives are leaning more towards regaining ground for what they see as the "loss of their rights" while the liberals retort back by branding such groups as extremists, he explained.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Ahad, 1 September 2013

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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