Islamist party out to woo non-Malay voters
A quiet revolution is transforming the Parti Islam se-Malaysia - which once demanded Koranic justice, such as amputation of hands for stealing - into a moderate movement espousing justice and democracy.
A new crop of leaders, many educated in the west, prefer the coat and tie to Arabic dress. They also speak fluent English, and some speak Putonghua. The changes are pleasing some Chinese, who form 35 per cent Malaysia's 12 million voters but traditionally are distrustful of PAS and its Islamist policies.
The party traditionally backs the ruling National Front coalition led by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, but analysts say PAS is beginning to win over Chinese angered by Mr Abdullah's failure to deliver on promises.
'We are evolving into an Islamic party that all Malaysians, irrespective of race and religion, can support because we stand for justice, freedom and democracy,' PAS deputy president Nasaruddin Mat Isa said.
'We know we cannot hope to form the government without significant Chinese and Indian support,' he said, referring to non-Muslims who make up 40 per cent of the voters. Mr Nasaruddin is leader of what newspapers have dubbed the 'young Turks' in PAS who are forcing change at the expense of the old guard, conservative clerics led by firebrand preacher Abdul Hadi Awang.
In party elections last week, Mr Nasaruddin and like-minded leaders defeated Mr Abdul Hadi's 'cleric faction', which is unhappy with the policy changes.
Mr Hadi remains party president but increasingly is seen as a figurehead.
'Nasaruddin won by a two-thirds margin, indicating the rank and file support of his moderate policies,' political analyst James Wong said.
'He is well liked and popular and is the power behind the changes.'
With Mr Nasaruddin pushing, PAS has ended a ban on pop concerts, unveiled a seven-storey headquarters in the capital's Chinese quarter and set up Chinese and Indian 'clubs' to win support. It also publishes a newsletter in Chinese, Tamil and Kadazan, an ethnic language of Sabah state, on Borneo.
'PAS champions a fair and just government for all Malaysians,' said Hu Pang Chaw, head of the Chinese community support group within the party. 'Only the rich become richer under the National Front.'
PAS made spectacular gains in the 1999 general election because of a groundswell of opposition to then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad over the sacking and jailing of his then deputy, Anwar Ibrahim.
But moderate Malay and Chinese voters punished PAS in the 2004 election for championing Islamist policies, including criminalising adultery, unmarried sex and drinking alcohol.
Mr Abdullah, campaigning on a platform of clean government and moderate Islam, defeated PAS in its Malay heartland state of Terengganu and nearly won Kelantan state, where PAS now rules with a one-seat majority. But experts see the 'moderation movement' in PAS as an election ploy to convince non-Muslims to again back the party.
'It's a question of political survival ... they see it as good politics to go moderate,' political scientist Chandra Muzaffar said. 'They still want an Islamic state.'
Most Chinese also remain unconvinced. 'They see the party's Islamic agenda as a serious threat to the country's secular constitution,' said an ethnic Chinese lawyer with the opposition Democratic Action Party.
'We want PAS to declare total support for the secular constitution and affirm it as the country's supreme document.'
