Is there a bigger joke in town than when a political party swears that it will always stick to its “principles?”
At its recent annual congress (Muktamar), PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man reaffirmed that the Islamist party will not sacrifice its principles for the sake of any political cooperation aimed at securing victory in future elections.
The Kubang Kerian MP further stressed that while the party welcomes those who have approached it with proposed electoral pacts, it remains firm in its principles based on Islamic teachings.
(Screenshot of news headline and image from Malaysiakini)
But do politicians truly comprehend the actual meaning of the word “principles?”
Or is it merely their go-to magic word whenever they want to project themselves as “squeaky clean,” or when they need a convenient shield against enemy attacks?
Just recently, amid the furore over the banning of gaming outlets in Kedah, influential Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin had challenged PAS to include gambling and alcohol in its election manifesto.
And what was the party's response?
Its Election Director, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, promptly retorted that the party does not need to include its opposition to gambling in its election manifesto because it is already part of the party’s core principles.
He reportedly said that the PAS Constitution clearly states that the party seeks to uphold Islamic values and laws in governance, including Syariah laws prohibiting gambling premises and regulating the sale of alcohol.
Now, was that a “principled response,” or an attempt to pull the wool over voters' eyes—especially the non-Malays whom it is now desperate to entice?
The thing is, if indeed it comes to power, will PAS truly ban all forms of gambling, including at Genting Highlands? Or will it twist and redefine its "principles" to justify its stance to protect its grip on power?
The reality is that, while it often projects an image of moral purity and godly principles, haven't its leaders been embroiled in some pretty ugly controversies?
At the height of the 1MDB financial scandal, many will recall allegations that the party's leaders may have received RM90 million from then-prime minister and UMNO president Najib Razak.
(Screenshot of news headline and image from Astro Awani.)
As expected, PAS leaders defiantly refuted the claims and filed a defamation suit in London to clear their name. However, news portal Sarawak Report later revealed that editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown had allegedly received a RM1.4 million out-of-court settlement to end the suit—a settlement concluded without any formal admission of liability by either side.
Still, the question that is probably lingering in many people's minds till this day is this: though PAS had dismissed the highly embarrassing episode as untrue, why was there a settlement sum involved?
And by no means is that the only notable skeleton in its closet!
Remember its lawmaker Siti Mastura’s outrageous allegations linking several top DAP leaders with former communist party leader Chin Peng and ex-Singapore premier Lee Kuan Yew?
Surely, the question critics would ask is: is dishing out misinformation and slander also part of the party's "principles" in its bid to exert power over its voter base?
And where were the party’s much-hyped principles during the infamous Sheraton Move, when it was part of the plot that eventually brought about the downfall of a democratically elected government?
Was it not to taste power?
Questions would also be asked about its much-vaunted principles when the disgraceful 1MDB debacle exploded.
Did it not choose to remain relatively silent while the country’s name was being dragged through the mud globally?
Then more recently, PAS even seemed to question the allegations surrounding the Tabung Haji scandal and the findings of the RCI. But as a supposedly principled party, shouldn't it be upholding good governance and accountability?
As some may be prompted to ask: was it because it was bent on protecting its ally, UMNO? If anything, should it not be more concerned with the billions of ringgit lost through the wasteful mismanagement of the pilgrims’ fund?
The inescapable truth is, for years, PAS leaders have been bashing UMNO left, right and centre, while allegedly hurling derogatory labels like “kafir” and even alluding to the latter as a party with corrupt leaders!
(Screenshot of news headline and image from Free Malaysia Today)
Yet today, the Islamist party is happily rubbing shoulders and even embracing that same “scandal-ridden” UMNO, eager to corner the crucial Malay-Muslim vote in the country.
Seriously, is that based on “principle” or is it outright political opportunism?
As for its relentless call for ummah unity, the moment it sensed Putrajaya within reach, did the Islamist party not ditch its so-called principles by throwing its own fellow Malay-Muslim coalition partner Bersatu under the bus?
Like it or not, the damning question remains: if PAS is truly a party that never sacrifices its principles, why flip-flop by reuniting with a tainted UMNO that it once despised? If it's not for power, then for what else?"
Main information source: Malaysiakini, Malay Mail and NST.
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