Read also other readers' comments (under the Commentary section of this posting) on the issue provoked by careless remarks about the Islamic state by some loose-cannon PAS MPs.
Quote:
"Stop talking about Islamic state and start doing your part towards being better Muslims for once?"
- Zainol Abideen of Mahaguru58 Blog (read here for more)
PAS's Husam Musa Clarifies on the Islamic State Issue
Read here in Malaysiakini for more
Excerpts:
"...Vice-president Husam Musa said PAS did not seek to pursue its Islamic agenda at PR level. PAS will NOT pursue the agenda through the newly-formed opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat (although) it will continue to champion the cause of an Islamic state.
Husam said these media reports were part of the "post-election agenda by Barisan Nasional to damage and destroy the stability of PR."
He said coalition partners, especially DAP, NOT to be worried over the matter, in an hour-long interview in Kuala Lumpur yesterda with Malaysiakini:"We accept the federal constitution as the main frame (in governing) and it is the basis where we move.
PAS members need an idealism to serve as their reference. Islamic state is that idealism which differentiate our members from other political parties.
If we want to fight corruption, what is the basis? For PAS members, it is based on Islamic teachings that a leader must be clean, transparent and avoid corrupt practice, that is the Islamic description of a leader.
If you DON'T have this, you will just be another Umno leader.
From the PAS perspective, it is a big success where DAP can accept PAS (in forming PR).The parties need to understand that the people wanted to reject BN, deny their two-thirds and reduce their arrogance in power.It is not because they love PKR, DAP or PAS but they hate BN, so we can’t claim it’s just PAS’ victory or DAP’s victory.
For that, we need to put people’s agenda as the first priority."
of People's Parliament Blog
"...A timely intervention by Husam.
I fully appreciate that PAS members and leaders aspire to the establishment of an Islamic state.I have time and again made it plain that I do NOT go along with that aspiration. My position has NOT changed.
What PAS, both leadership and grassroots, must NOT do is attack the likes of me ( and there are many like me ) as being enemies of Islam, or even condone or remain indifferent to such attacks. I, and I am sure many others in civil society, will respect the aspiration of PAS.
In turn, PAS MUST RESPECT the aspiration of a great many in civil society, myself included, to RETAIN THE ORIGINAL SECULAR STATE established under the Federal Constitution .
And if this mutual respect, that I earnestly hope might soon be forged, is to be firmly grounded, we must all be assured that in pursuing our respective aspirations, the EXISTING political and constitutional processes shall NEVER be compromised.
PAS must be completely candid and transparent with civil society about their model Islamic state. And be patient in addressing genuine enquiries about such a model, or competing views on Islam.
We in civil society must in turn reciprocate to share with PAS our vision of the secular state that we think can best accomodate the aspirations of the greatest number.
And in all this, let us make a sacred oath to hold dear, honour and safeguard the Federal Constitution and the best interests of all the rakyat.
- Haris Ibrahim
--end of update ---
From Harakah Daily: Read here article "Media cuba keruhkan hubungan Pakatan Rakyat"
Related Articles:
- Read here Malaysian Unplug's editorial comment on this issue
- Read here commentary by Haris Ibrahim (People's Parliament)
Background:
Excerpts: Read here for more in Harakah DailyNST reported: Kelantan Pas Youth (said it) supports Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yaakub's proposal that Pas become the backbone of the new opposition coalition to realise the objective of establishing an Islamic state.
DAP chairman Karpal Singh slammed Pas Youth for suggesting that the Islamist party use the Pakatan Rakyat as a springboard to an Islamic state. Reiterating his stand, Karpal said PAS should accept the provision in the Federal Constitution and judicial pronouncement by the Supreme Court in 1988 that Malaysia was a secular state and not an Islamic one.Karpal said, "PAS should be realistic and practical to ensure that the Pakatan Rakyat is not derailed by public statements in the nature of wanting to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state.In any event, Pas has only 23 seats to the DAP's 28 and PKR's 31. I cannot see how Pas can make such a claim." Read HERE for more
Timbalan Menteri Besar (TMB) Kelantan, Dato' Ahmad Yakob melahirkan rasa kesal di atas laporan akhbar yang dianggap menyimpang daripada kenyataan asalnya mengenai isu Pakatan Rakyat.
Katanya, beliau TIDAK bermaksud mahu parti-parti lain dalam Pakatan Rakyat dipaksa menerima PAS sebagai tunjang kepada pakatan yang baru dibentuk.
Datuk Ahmad Yakob mengulas:"Pakatan itu masih lagi di peringkat awal yang dipersetujui semua parti pembangkang termasuk PAS, KeADILan dan DAP. Jadi soal siapa yang perlu mengetuai pakatan itu belum diputuskan.
Sesiapa pun boleh mengetuai pakatan tersebut apabila ia dipersetujui semua ahli dalam pakatan yang dibentuk.
Tidak dinafikan kita memerlukan masa untuk memberi kefahaman kepada semua pihak mengenai konsep pentadbiran Islam yang dibawa PAS.
Buat masa ini biarlah semua ahli dalam pakatan faham sebelum sesuatu itu dilaksanakan. Ini kerana pakatan yang dibentuk dilihat sudah diterima rakyat."Sebelum ini akhbar melaporkan Ahmad menyebut PAS wajar menjadi tunjang Pakatan Rakyat yang dibentuk parti-parti pembangkang sekiranya ia mahu merealisasikan impian menubuh sebuah negara Islam.
Bagaimanapun kenyataan itu disifatkannya ditulis mengikut persepsi wartawan itu sendiri dan bukannya menulis apa yang dicakap.
Menurutnya dalam kenyataannya sebelum ini TIDAK pernah pun disebut soal negara Islam sebagaimana dilaporkan.
Kata beliau apa yang diutarakan sebenarnya mahu memberi masa kepada mana-mana pihak dalam Pakatan Rakyat faham mengenai konsep pentadbiran berteras Islam yang dilaksanakan di Kelantan sejak lebih 18 tahun lalu.
Setiausaha Politik Menteri Besar, Haji Anual Bakri Harun berkata, isu pertelagahan di antara PAS dan DAP dalam Pakatan Rakyat sengaja ditimbulkan media massa bagi menenggelamkan perpecahan dalaman Umno yang berlaku sekarang.
Katanya, media harian milik Umno dan BN sengaja membesar-besarkan isu pertelagahan dalam Pakatan Rakyat, sedangkan pada hakikat ia tidak berlaku.Menurut Haji Anual Bakri Harun:
"Buat masa sekarang tidak timbul siapa yang akan menerajui Pakatan Rakyat kerana ia masih baru dan di peringkat awal lagi.
Ahli-ahli parti hendaklah menyerahkan perkara itu kepada pemimpin atasan.
Belum sesuai lagi kita mahu mengutarakan pandangan peribadi masing-masing mengenai Pakatan Rakyat.Sekarang adalah masa untuk bekerja selepas diberi mandat rakyat pada pilihan raya umum lalu."
COMMENTARY (9thAPRIL 2008)
- "... I don’t envy the position PAS leaders are in. Their raison d’etre is Islam. Their purpose is Darul Islam. To them it makes complete sense.
Their challenge is to interface with a people whose exposure to the idea of an Islamic State has been entirely negative.
There is NO model of an Islamic State that can reassure any non-Muslim or even a Muslim who chooses his own path to God.
How can they get their message across without compromising their own principles while at the same time avoiding causing anxiety.
Husam Musa has done an excellent job of expressing that difficult idea in clear terms.
Now he and his colleagues have to get their followers to understand the import of that message and to keep to the spirit of it.
For them too, it’s a learning process. It’s not going to happen overnight. But we’re getting there. - ".. ..Finally we are coming of age. I just can’t believe that I am living to see these changes. It must be a divine intervention.
The GOOD LORD as worked his mysterious ways through beings like Raja Petra, Harris Ibrahim, Malik Imtiaz Dr.Faris Noor, Ambiga Sreenivasen, all the proactive NGOs and last not least, HINDRAF and the powerpacked MAKKAL SHAKTI!
Article 3 of the Federal Constitution is clear. Islam is the religion of the Federation but it does NOT make it an Islamic country ( state ??) It is just like saying that English is our national language and therefore, we are an English country.
Come on Bro, grow up. Even PAS does not agree with Dr.M that this is an Islamic country! (state ??).
Anyway, we being a multi-religious nation, it is only logical and practical that we DON'T brand ourselves as any religious country.Religion is between you and the maker. Period.
(Note: There is a difference between an "Islamic country" and an "Islamic state" -Malaysian Unplug) - "...I read that article too and the warmth that I felt gave hope.
There is a need for both sides of this divide to pause and take a closer look at the language that is used to relay what they want and what they aspire and what they will be led by.
Being led by Islamic principles to achieve the hopes and wishes of the people as articulated by the Peoples’ Declaration is perfectly alright by me. Let them work it the Islamic way.
I shall work it the Christian way. My Hindu friend the Hindu way. The Buddhist the Buddhist way and Karpal can do so the Sikh way!
And I can also accomodate here the atheist the secular way. The gay, the gay way, if there is such a thing. The animist the way of the animist.
Every has to know and acknowledge that good is not consigned to any one exclusively. Everyone has to know and acknowledge that evil is not immune to them just because of their religious affiliation.
Therefore, a proclivity to any one religious believe does NOT place that person in any priviledged position over another, even if the other is an animist or an atheist.
Once that is sorted out, let us then get talking.
You know I used to hate a colleague of mine when every other statement he made he had to assign it to a Christian way of doing it! Can’t it just be a bloody good way of doing it?
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