Six years after entering into a partnership of sorts with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP, is it viable for PAS to continue sustaining its so-called political cooperation with its Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners?
How has this "consensus" benefited PAS in terms of strengthening the party and enabling it to remain relevant as a champion of Islam?
These questions have drawn the attention of the general public, particularly party supporters who have of late become increasingly uneasy over the widening rift between the party and its partners, which is making it seem like the Islamist party is being smothered by its two allies.
In fact many are now wondering whether the political cooperation, which started in 2008, is coming to an end following recent events which revealed the existence of infighting and lack of understanding among the coalition partners.
What do they have in common?
At its 60th conference or muktamar, which was held in Johor recently, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, in reference to the "political cooperation", had reportedly said with tongue in cheek that the party and its allies merely cooperated to "look for factors that they had in common".
The question is, six years after having initiated their political cooperation, what do PAS, PKR and DAP have in common?
According to political analyst Prof Dr Ahmad Atory Hussain, the three parties clearly have very little in common, whether in terms of ideology, policy or even viewpoints.
"If at all they have anything in common, it is only visible just before the general election, with their main aim being to topple the Barisan Nasional don't see anything else," he told Bernama.
Judging by the events transpired by the menteri besar crisis in Selangor recently, it appears that it will be impossible for PAS, DAP and PKR to strike a chord of unity, not with each of them nominating its own candidates to replace Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
And, earlier during the 13th general election the three could not come to a consensus on who should be fielded in certain constituencies to represent PR, so they ended up fielding their respective candidates.
Lashing out at the leaders of the three parties who in the past have claimed that they shared a common stand on various issues, Ahmad Atory said it was merely political rhetoric aimed at gaining the trust of the voters.
Citing the recent Pengkalan Kubor state seat by-election in Kelantan, he said PKR and DAP's election machinery was conspicuously absent throughout the campaign - an indication that the two parties were annoyed with PAS for not supporting their decision to nominate PKR President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the sole candidate to replace Abdul Khalid as Selangor Menteri Besar.
"This showed that they have differences of opinion," said eUniversiti Sains Malaysia's Centre of Social Science Studies lecturer, Ahmad Atory.
Call to review political cooperation
The call for PAS to review its political cooperation with PKR dan DAP is not something new as it had been voiced out in the past by its own grassroots as well as leaders.
During last year's muktamar, the party's Dewan Ulama chief the late Datuk Harun Taib had stressed that the concept of political cooperation among PAS, DAP and PKR ought to be revised from time to time.
This year, PAS deputy spiritual adviser Datuk Dr Haron Din sent out a similar signal, and he urged the Dewan Ulama to review the party's political cooperation framework with its two allies in view of the current political scenario.
Last month, Abdul Hadi openly criticised the party's PR partners as being unethical, claiming that they had 'poached' two PAS assemblymen in Selangor in a bid to secure their support to get Abdul Khalid to step down as Selangor Menteri Besar.
"Although we have political cooperation with them (PKR and DAP), they behaved in an unethical manner because they stole two of our assemblymen. Is that part of the ethics of political cooperation?" he was quoted as saying.
Ahmad Atory opined that the Member of Parliament for Marang had all along known that the so-called political cooperation among the PR parties would create a rift in PAS but he chose to remain silent.
"Being the commander that he (Abdul Hadi) is, he has been giving the impression that he has a strong army, although many of his soldiers have fallen in recent years.
"But then, it appears to me that only PAS is sincerely adhering to the principles of political cooperation while the other two parties are not," he said.
Not opting out of coalition
PAS may be dissatisfied with the way the political accord with its partners has shaped up but it is still staying put as the Islamist party does not have the confidence to withdraw from the loose coalition and strike out on its own in pursuit of its ideals.
Hence, it will remain a victim of bullying by PKR and DAP, as PAS Central Committee member Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz had admitted to recently.
He said although PAS had reiterated that it will remain with PR, it will nevertheless be subject to bullying by its coalition partners.
But Ahmad Atory believes no amount of bullying will cause PAS to fly into a rage and abandon the coalition.
"A good example is the reduction in the number of seats in the Exco (in Selangor's state executive council) for PAS from four to three. Yes, PAS is angry but not angry enough to get out of the coalition," he observed.
He said PAS is still dependent on PKR and DAP to garner the support of the Chinese and Indian communities.
"All these years, PAS has only been enjoying the support of the Malays. Now it wants to get the support of the Chinese and Indians as well to expand its territory.
"The party is well aware that it can't depend on the support of the Malays alone to win in states other than Kelantan, where it is assured of victory even without the help of PKR and DAP," he said. - Mohd Hisham Abdul Rafar
How has this "consensus" benefited PAS in terms of strengthening the party and enabling it to remain relevant as a champion of Islam?
These questions have drawn the attention of the general public, particularly party supporters who have of late become increasingly uneasy over the widening rift between the party and its partners, which is making it seem like the Islamist party is being smothered by its two allies.
In fact many are now wondering whether the political cooperation, which started in 2008, is coming to an end following recent events which revealed the existence of infighting and lack of understanding among the coalition partners.
What do they have in common?
At its 60th conference or muktamar, which was held in Johor recently, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, in reference to the "political cooperation", had reportedly said with tongue in cheek that the party and its allies merely cooperated to "look for factors that they had in common".
The question is, six years after having initiated their political cooperation, what do PAS, PKR and DAP have in common?
According to political analyst Prof Dr Ahmad Atory Hussain, the three parties clearly have very little in common, whether in terms of ideology, policy or even viewpoints.
"If at all they have anything in common, it is only visible just before the general election, with their main aim being to topple the Barisan Nasional don't see anything else," he told Bernama.
Judging by the events transpired by the menteri besar crisis in Selangor recently, it appears that it will be impossible for PAS, DAP and PKR to strike a chord of unity, not with each of them nominating its own candidates to replace Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
And, earlier during the 13th general election the three could not come to a consensus on who should be fielded in certain constituencies to represent PR, so they ended up fielding their respective candidates.
Lashing out at the leaders of the three parties who in the past have claimed that they shared a common stand on various issues, Ahmad Atory said it was merely political rhetoric aimed at gaining the trust of the voters.
Citing the recent Pengkalan Kubor state seat by-election in Kelantan, he said PKR and DAP's election machinery was conspicuously absent throughout the campaign - an indication that the two parties were annoyed with PAS for not supporting their decision to nominate PKR President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the sole candidate to replace Abdul Khalid as Selangor Menteri Besar.
"This showed that they have differences of opinion," said eUniversiti Sains Malaysia's Centre of Social Science Studies lecturer, Ahmad Atory.
Call to review political cooperation
The call for PAS to review its political cooperation with PKR dan DAP is not something new as it had been voiced out in the past by its own grassroots as well as leaders.
During last year's muktamar, the party's Dewan Ulama chief the late Datuk Harun Taib had stressed that the concept of political cooperation among PAS, DAP and PKR ought to be revised from time to time.
This year, PAS deputy spiritual adviser Datuk Dr Haron Din sent out a similar signal, and he urged the Dewan Ulama to review the party's political cooperation framework with its two allies in view of the current political scenario.
Last month, Abdul Hadi openly criticised the party's PR partners as being unethical, claiming that they had 'poached' two PAS assemblymen in Selangor in a bid to secure their support to get Abdul Khalid to step down as Selangor Menteri Besar.
"Although we have political cooperation with them (PKR and DAP), they behaved in an unethical manner because they stole two of our assemblymen. Is that part of the ethics of political cooperation?" he was quoted as saying.
Ahmad Atory opined that the Member of Parliament for Marang had all along known that the so-called political cooperation among the PR parties would create a rift in PAS but he chose to remain silent.
"Being the commander that he (Abdul Hadi) is, he has been giving the impression that he has a strong army, although many of his soldiers have fallen in recent years.
"But then, it appears to me that only PAS is sincerely adhering to the principles of political cooperation while the other two parties are not," he said.
Not opting out of coalition
PAS may be dissatisfied with the way the political accord with its partners has shaped up but it is still staying put as the Islamist party does not have the confidence to withdraw from the loose coalition and strike out on its own in pursuit of its ideals.
Hence, it will remain a victim of bullying by PKR and DAP, as PAS Central Committee member Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz had admitted to recently.
He said although PAS had reiterated that it will remain with PR, it will nevertheless be subject to bullying by its coalition partners.
But Ahmad Atory believes no amount of bullying will cause PAS to fly into a rage and abandon the coalition.
"A good example is the reduction in the number of seats in the Exco (in Selangor's state executive council) for PAS from four to three. Yes, PAS is angry but not angry enough to get out of the coalition," he observed.
He said PAS is still dependent on PKR and DAP to garner the support of the Chinese and Indian communities.
"All these years, PAS has only been enjoying the support of the Malays. Now it wants to get the support of the Chinese and Indians as well to expand its territory.
"The party is well aware that it can't depend on the support of the Malays alone to win in states other than Kelantan, where it is assured of victory even without the help of PKR and DAP," he said. - Mohd Hisham Abdul Rafar
