AN IMMINENT POLITICAL SHOWDOWN BETWEEN MAT SABU ND ANWAR IBRAHIM ON THE CARD?

 

  Muka Hadapan Utusan Malaysia, 4 Jun 2011 Splashing Hadi's Remarks. Where is Hadi leading PAS to: A moderate PAS?

PAS polls result: Mat Sabu is new deputy, ulama lose out

By SIRA HABIBU

KUALA LUMPUR: The PAS polls saw the ulama faction lose out in the top hierarchy, with the Erdogan (moderate) factions dominating the central posts.
Activist Mohamed Sabu toppled heavyweight ulama Nasharudin Mat Isa (incumbent) and Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man in the race for one of the stiffest race for deputy presidency.
Mohamed, who won by a 21-vote majority, clinched 420 votes followed by Tuan Ibrahim (399) and Nasharuddin (224).
Datuk Husam Musa of the Erdogan clan won the vice presidency, while incumbent vice presidents Salahuddin Ayub and Datuk Mahfuz Omar managed to retain the post in a six-cornered fight for the three posts.
Salahuddin clinched the highest number of votes (753), followed by Husam (660) and Mahfuz (616).
Ulama candidates Idris Ahmad (491) and Datuk Mohd Amar Abdullah (321), as well as former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (217), failed in their bid to secure vice president posts.
The only ulama in the top hierarchy is Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang who was returned unopposed for the fifth term.
The Erdogans dominate the central committee posts, controlling eight out of the 18 posts, while the ulama only managed six seats.
Felda activist Mazlan Aliman clinched the highest vote in the central committee election (804).
The Erdogans in the central committee are Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli (765), Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (739), Hanipah Maidin (735), Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (702), Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa (651), Khalid Abdul Samad (643), Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamed (449), and Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (445).
The ulama who made it to the central committee are Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak (721), Abdul Ghani Shamsuddin (579), Abu Bakar Chik (527), Mohd Amar Abdullah (470), Abdul Ghani Abdul Rahman (430), Nuridah Salleh (416). The professionals who made it are Selangor executive councillor Datuk Dr Hassan Ali (437)and Kedah executive councillor Amiruddin Hamzah (576). Dr Hassan is a pro-ulama supporter. (The Star, 4 June 2011).



Comment:
Majority of the PAS members mentioned of  new leaf in the party's struggle towards the centripetal of mainstream national politics. Irrespective of what opponents. especially UMNO people  said about PAS agenda and its link with Pakatan Rakyat, PAS would transform into a more moderte force, doing away with its Islamic struggle towards converting Malaysia into an Islamic State. Political analysts ponder if the recently announced PAS election was the name game of realistic approach, flirting with and imbedding into the so-called Erdogen's Muslim way of life. Interntionlly, I mean.

Anyway, no matter how and where one looks at the result, one thing is for sure. The newly elected Deputy President, Mohamed Sabu, popular known as Mat Sabu, will be embracing his once closed ally, DS Anwar Ibrahim, stging as some put it as a prelude towards  an imminent political showdown in the Pakatan Rakyat's two component parties -PKR and PAS, the other being DAP. Mat Sabu and Anwar were two inseparable political siblings in the heydays of the now-not-so-famous ABIM. However lately they are poles apart with Mat Sabu nicknaming Anwar al-Juburi, a nasty Arab-originated Malay term. And this nickname has ever since popular notably  among bloggers. 

So, woud there be  a politicl showdown between the two personlities. One from the PKR and the other from PAS. Or some people would want to suggest that the two are just putting up an intended  show to divert public attention. Their sruggle is still mutual, i.e.,"Marching towards Putrajaya."

With the result,  PAS is surely transforming into a moderate entity, with Islam being gradually diluted. Its new President DS Abdul Awang, has said it it in his opening Muktmar Speech. Even though he mentined something like an unworkble relationship  with UMNO but many did not buy it. With his deputy Nashruddin Mat Isa out of the fray, Mat Sabu will no doubt would have has an inkling of what goes on in the back of Hadi's mind. Even then there are some PAS members who still believe with the right recipies and ingredients, UMNO-PAS relation will continue to dominate future discussion. They suggest Hadi's speech yesterday was partly intended to   accomodate the presence of some "big fish" in the shoal, whoever they may be. Notebly absence in the Muktamar opening was the PKR advisor, Anwar Ibrahim. And Lim Kit Siang, who was present, was uncommitted, when asked to comment on Hadi's speech.