The sole member of the PAS “progressive” faction, elected to the ulama-dominated PAS central committee, today announced his decision to let go of his post.
Activist Mazlan Aliman said he decided to quit in order to concentrate on non-governmental organisation Anak, which represents Felda settlers, and not because “his friends” were not elected to the party’s central committee.
“I have made the decision to resign with immediate effect. I apologise for this decision.
“I am still with PAS as an ordinary member and will still uphold the truth,” he told a press conference at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.
Mazlan had already indicated relinquishing his post soon after his election to the PAS central committee earlier this month, saying the party’s internal strife had affected him deeply.
He said it was not fair to label him as pro-Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as he has been a member of PAS for 30 years ago.
The PR pact was only formed seven years ago after the 2008 general election.
“It’s not very accurate. I have had a long friendship and enjoyed the fraternity of my comrades and seeing them lose, it is like a black mark on my experience,” he said of being the only leader from the faction dubbed “progressives” who won party’s elections.
The progressives who is pro-PR are called thus because of their more open approach to non-Muslims and willingness to abide by PR’s common manifesto that does not include some of PAS’s agenda, such as implementation of hudud or the Islamic penal code.
Mazlan, however, criticised the use of “cai” or a list of candidates circulated by the pro-ulama faction telling delegates how to vote.
“The endless polemics wounded me deeply and the allegations that this election was decided based on a menu of candidates, it is indeed heartbreaking to think that we no longer elect leaders based on their work and performance,” he said.
Asked if he would leave PAS and join Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa), Mazlan said he had no ties with the pro-PR PAS faction.
“I have nothing to do with PasMa. That’s as much as I can say. Whatever they want to do, it has nothing to do with me.”
PasMa on Saturday announced that it wanted to help start a new party to replace PAS in a new opposition coalition with DAP and PKR.
On his work with Anak, Mazlan said it was independent of PAS now as it was registered with the Registrar of Societies four months ago, and as such can also admit Umno members. – June 15, 2015.
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