Yesterday, PAS formally signed pact with Ikatan after its secretary general Takiyuddin Hassan has previously revealed that PAS would collaborate with a multiracial entity to provide Malaysians with a third alternative.
Did this new pact create any excitement among the people?
I think Wan Saiful Wan Jan, chief executive of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) made an interesting observation when he said the following:
“Ikatan is unknown to many and this partnership would definitely boost its name in the political arena, but as for PAS, it shows a sign of desperation for teaming up with a not so famous party.”
If PAS‘s objective in forming the pact is not to be seen as losing political relevance in the new political alignment of forces which have taken shape, the new pact with a politically obscure party will not offer it much help.
If PAS wants to remain relevant in today’s political landscape, it must be prepared to play the true role of na opposition party and to pursue the important agenda of fighting for the nation’s democratic and institutional reforms.
But PAS’s tone has shown that it is now more and more willing to be close to the ruling Umno party rather than to be an effective opposition party.
PAS president Hadi Awang has been saying strange things recently. Yesterday, he said the pact would take a mild approach in opposing the Government.
“We don’t want to be an Opposition which is extreme in going against the Government.
“We want to be a pact that opposes the Government by advising them. We will still give them credit when they do good for the people.”
In November last year, he said that PAS did not want to topple Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and was prepared to advise Umno if government policies were changed.
Why is Hadi sill insisting on playing the so called advising role when it is so clear that the Prime Minister and BN just simply cannot change?
Is Hadi’s real intent is to help Umno to retain power in the next general election?
An opposition party must not only be prepared to play the necessary role of checks and balance, it must also work hard to win government power so that it can implement its own policies and programmes for the betterment of the people.
Whether being alone or forming more partnerships, PAS will only lose credibility and relevance if it does not have consistent policies which are inclusive of all races and religions.