NOT content with disrupting religious and racial harmony in Malaysia, PAS must poke its head, nose and toes into the politics of Singapore.
The Islamist party can’t keep quiet but must meddle in the upcoming general election in the island republic slated for May 3.
It sees the electoral battle as a golden opportunity to influence voters to cast their ballots for Muslim candidates who will speak up for their race.
Although it protested its innocence, the denial didn’t quite wash with the Singapore authorities who ticked off the foreigners for urging “Singaporeans to vote on racial and religious lines” in their online posts.
The meddlesome culprits are PAS treasurer-general Iskandar Abdul Samad and Selangor PAS Youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar, among others.
According to Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, they have all crossed the lines by interfering in the political affairs of the island nation.
‘Guilty as charged’
Now, what does Sukri sees in Singapore that disturbed his “morality as a human being”?
Oh, he’s very upset about the plight of Malay-Muslims in Singapore whom he claimed are “becoming desperate”.
Desperate? Are they really in dire straits? Sukri cites education and the economy as some of the various factors that he believes have made life miserable to this minority group.
We don’t know whether the Malays in Singapore had sent an SOS to Sukri and Iskandar via e-mails or met them at a secret rendezvous to pour out their suppressed grievances.
And what did Iskandar do? According to the Singapore authorities, he had expressed support for a Muslim candidate and on that grounds alone, he is accused of dipping his oar in Singapore waters.
PAS has dismissed the controversial remarks of the duo as merely their personal opinions and does not represent the official position of the party.
But this is a fallacious argument because when you hold a position in your party and when you talk about the politics of a foreign country, you are speaking on behalf of your party.
PAS thinks it can get away with blue murder if its politicians seek refuge under the guise of personal views while “campaigning” for its preferred “candidates” down south. But the Singapore authorities have called out the nosy offenders for their negative comments.
Singaporean Malays are progressive lot
Perhaps, PAS is not only taking potshots at the ruling party PAP but it is indirectly hitting out at DAP.
In its mind, DAP is considered an offshoot of Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and so the message to its party faithful and grassroots members is: a vote for the DAP is a vote for PAP.
And the bottom line is: the Malays here will suffer just like their counterparts in the city of the lion if DAP comes to power. Perhaps, the party of God is launching a pre-emptive strike on its mortal foe in preparation for the 16th General Election (GE16) .
This line of attack was adopted by PAS president and mischief-maker-Tan Sri Hadi Awang who had once described DAP as an “extremist” outfit out to seize political power through subtle means.
The cleric doesn’t want the Malays to lose political power and become a second Singapore.
Perhaps, in its twisted mind, PAS thinks that just because the Malays in Singapore “wear the same clothes, eat the same food, speak the same language and practise the same culture” as their northern neighbours, they are our same blood and flesh who must be given a helping hand. How wrong is this warped thinking!
PAS must realise that this tiny dot on the world map has developed a distinct identity of its own and its population – Chinese, Indians and Malays – has hugely benefitted from a strong economy, world-class education and a vibrant cultural life.
There was no desperate cry for help to relatives from across the Causeway. – April 30, 2025
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: Lawrence Wong/Facebook
