PAS is least concerned over any potential betrayal by two of its latest family members – former UMNO warlords Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim and Tan Sri Annuar Musa – who were yesterday (Oct 31) inducted as additional members to the National PAS central committee (session 2023-2025).
This is regardless of the fact that both were once arch-enemies of PAS. When he was the Perlis menteri besar (MB), Shahidan PAS supporters once joked that the three-term Arau MP had intended to make the Perlis paddy field as blue as possible.
“Meanwhile, TS Annuar was once involved in crowning the Kelantan Sultan under the ketereh tree at the peak of the issue of king’s immunity removal,” penned PAS observer Mohd Nasir Abdullah in a Facebook post.
“There had been moments when he took on the late Kelantan MB Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat in the Kelantan state assembly when he was the opposition leader. Nevertheless, he had remained steadfast with UMNO and tried hard to wrest Kelantan from PAS and almost succeeded in doing so in 2004.”
Mohd Nasir further brushed aside concerns expressed by some party insiders that it might be too early to admit them into the PAS Central Committee or if PAS is not worried about the leakage of party secrets.
“Anytime someone who is believed to have the desire to fight alongside PAS will be accepted. PAS only has one secret which is to adhere to the Quran, Sunnah, Ijmak and Qias as a guide in governing,” he opined.
“PAS understands and knows the requirements of the Quran, Sunnah, Ijmak and Qias because PAS has a group of scholars who are skilled and directly involved in this field.”
Moreover, PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang has always reminded the Islamist party that “if a person was an expert (in any field) during his jahiliyyah (period before joining PAS), he will be given a task that matches his area of expertise when he joins the Islamic congregation”, according to Mohd Nasir.
“Islam does not teach us to fear losing power to those who are more worthy as long as they carry out their duties according to the will of Islam,” he justified.
“On the contrary, quarters that oppose PAS are very afraid of losing their power. They’re often wary of each other, especially so if a former enemy were to join them. Look at Khairuddin at-Takiri and Nakhaei Ahmad (former PAS leaders). Their fate is only to be cheerleaders for UMNO. That’s the only standard for them to sit in UMNO.”
Added Mohd Nasir: “They will never be trusted because the basis of UMNO’s struggle is the pursuit of rank and wealth. Can you believe that once a person who wanted to be appointed as UMNO Youth branch head was investigated all the way to his village to make sure he was not from a PAS family? Such is the unfounded fear.” – Nov 1, 2023