Why Malaysia's opposition party, PAS needs to revamp its image

Producer: Melanie Yip
First broadcast: 30 August 04, Radio Singapore International

The annual General Assembly of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, or PAS was dominated by harsh criticisms of its chief, Abdul Hadi Awang.

Party leaders from PAS criticized the cleric for his failure to show new direction within the party, and for blaming the party's poor showing in the March General election on others.

However, the road to revamping PAS' image can be difficult, says University of Malaya's Professor Khoo Kay Kim (KKK).

He tells RSI's Melanie Yip more.

KKK: I think that PAS is facing tremendous difficulties. I think it is also facing a generational change. I think the time has come for another group to take over. Some of the things that PAS leaders had been saying over the past several years have not helped the party at all, considering the Malaysia is a society that comprises both Muslims and non-Muslims. And a lot of the non-Muslims do not have any idea about Islam. And many of the statements that PAS leaders make seem to confirm their belief that Islam is a very harsh religion. They do not know that Islam means peace. And if PAS is thinking about being a effective political party. Then they must accept the fact that Malaysia is not a society made up primarily of Muslims.

In other words, PAS will also need to, reflect on their poor showing in the March general election, as it actually sent a signal or wake up call for the party that, Malaysian voters do not subscribe to their idea of an Islamic state.

KKK: Not only Malaysia non-Muslim voters, it includes Malaysia Muslim voters as well. These groups comprise many young people. In fact, it is not only Parti Islam alone, the other political parties need to take note. This young generation of voters is no longer the same as in the past. Times have changed, the way we are doing things need to be changed from time to time. Otherwise the older ones will not be effective today.

As we go back to the annual general assembly of PAS, we also saw many up and coming younger leaders who may embrace less conservative perspectives on issues like women who work, and entertainment for the masses. How does this reflect a change in PAS' leadership strategies or transition?

KKK: I think Malaysia on the whole, it is the same elsewhere, is very much exposed, these days, to developments outside of the country. There is no way one can prevent the young people from changes that are taking place elsewhere. And especially since our education system does not seem to address the problem. The young in Asia, and Malaysia too, tend to be imitative. They go for brand names, they go for the latest fashions, and some are crazy over David Beckham. We are therefore living in an age where the West, in a cultural sense, is even more influential than it was many years ago. So Asian leaders have to take careful consideration of what is happening around them, and if they do not, then I think the future for each Asian country can be quite bleak.

What implications might it have for the party, given that the younger leaders may have views that may not match with the old school of thought?

KKK: Well, if the old school decides to hang on, the party will do badly in the near future. And it may become a party of little consequence if it decides to be stubborn, or as it happened in the late 1970s, the younger leaders may just overthrow the older leaders, and continue to try to do something different, and perhaps achieve better results.