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Is PAS stronger after seminar?
Sat, Nov 7, 2009
National

By Mohsin Abdullah

Question: Did PAS come out strengthened from its “Strengthening the party” seminar?

Answer: Yes if it takes all the things said at the seminar—fierce and hard words included—in good faith and acts upon them. No if it chooses to ignore the criticisms. In fact that can even result in a divided PAS.

To Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, PAS leaders including the ulamas must be willing to accept criticisms and handle them positively. That, he said, is precisely what the leaders have done.

MP Khalid Samad


The seminar itself was testimony to this, Khalid added. And he hailed it as a “key milestone in PAS’ history.” Many felt the seminar was held because of fierce criticism hurled at the PAS leadership by well-known political analyst Abdul Aziz Bari, in particular against party president Haji Abdul Hadi Awang and his “team.” Whether that was the sole reason for the seminar is debatable. But there’s no doubt Abdul Aziz’s onslaught was a big factor.

And it’s no surprise that Professor Dr. Abdul Aziz Bari was the star attraction at the day-long event, praised by some, condemned by others. The university lecturer, acknowledged by many as an expert in constitutional matters, has been accusing Abdul Hadi of being, among other things, “weak” and, together with “his men,” still harbouring hopes of realising the “unity government dream” with UMNO.

Anyway, Abdul Aziz, with fellow lecturer Dr. Abu Hassan Hasbullah and PAS vice president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, were invited to present their working papers at the seminar. In other words, Abdul Aziz was invited to face PAS delegates and he received quite an earful by those who were not happy with his take on the situation.

Abdul Aziz found himself accused of trying to topple Abdul Hadi, of picking up rumours to disrupt PAS and of being an UMNO agent.

But he was allowed to defend himself. And that he did. He told delegates and Abdul Hadi and the president’s men that he brought up the unity government issue because he believed it was still alive among some in .

But Abdul Aziz has his share of defenders too. Khalid, of course, is one of them.

Question: Did Abdul Aziz achieve his objective? Well if he had wanted to make sure that PAS would stay clear of the unity government dream, then he ought to listen to what Abdul Hadi had to say in his opening address.

The party president said PAS would remain in Pakatan Rakyat. But he has said this before. Even said the door to unity talks with UMNO had been tightly shut.

Whether Abdul Aziz or, for that matter, anybody else is satisfied with that is another matter.

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For Desi and a few cyber soulmates from the Fourth Estate,
Another new journey begins.
This newshound again feels some 10 years younger -- raring like a dark horse
charging at that rainbow on the horizon.

Strawberry fields forever?

Or, the answer my friend,
Is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin'