Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email I was surprised when NST had the words “PAS drops Islamic state pinciple”. A deeper look into the manifesto is necessary. It looks more like a people’s budget kind of things. Lots of promises that may appeal to those who are unhappy with BN.
The manisfesto can be accessed (PDF) at:
http://pemuda.pas.org.my/images/stories/risalah/manifesoto-%20final.pdf
Among the key points:
- Merapatkan jurang agihan kekayaan antara kayamiskin dalam kaum dan antara kaum dengan menekankan aspek pendidikan dan peningkatan sumber pendapatan. [sounds like NEP,no?]
- Menjamin perlaksanaan peruntukan-peruntukan Islam sebagaimana termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan serta mengatasi konflik perundangan. [very likely Islamic state reworded]
Memastikan Masjid dimakmurkankan oleh masyarakat tempatan dan tempat-tempat ibadat tidak boleh dimusnahkan tanpa perundingan dan kelulusan masyarakat setempat.
Menjamin penubuhan sebuah Majlis Perundingan penganut agama-agama (selain Islam) oleh Kerajaan bagi mempastikan hak-hak setiap kelompok penganut agama untuk melaksanakan tuntutan upacara ibadat dan budaya masing-masing. [IFC revisited? weren’t these guys are the ones who protested at article 11 talks?]
Merangka dasar perpaduan yang diperkukuhkan dengan sikap saling hormat menghormati atas dasar saling mengetahui tuntutan agama terhadap penganut agama masing-masing.
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Mencadangkan penubuhan satu Majlis Dailog ke arah memperkukuhkan permuafakatan dan perpaduan nasional merentasi semua kaum.
Melindungi ‘Pendemokrasian Pendidikan’ dengan kewujudan pilihan sekolah-sekolah termasuk pendidikan Islam (SAR), serta bahasa ibunda (Cina dan Tamil).
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Mengembalikan pengajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Ibunda masing-masing.
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Memberi sejumlah peruntukan kepada SAR dan sekolah swasta jenis Cina berdasarkan jumlah pelajar. [sekolah tamil no money?]
However, nothing on apostasy, illegal conversion, body snatching.
ELECTION 2008: Pas drops Islamic state principle in manifesto, signalling push for non-Muslim votes
By : A. Hafiz Yatim and Minderjeet Kaur
source
KUALA LUMPUR, Thurs:
Pas is changing their tactics for this polls. No more push for an Islamic state to placate non-Muslim voters. With their main targets the Malay voters in Northern states, Pas also openly declared their cooperation with Parti Keadilan Rakyat to win the Malay support but are non-committal in its previous alliance with the DAP. “The party realises its mistakes during the last polls in Terengganu. The party wants to keep with the changing times,” Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang told reporters during the launch of the party’s manifesto themed “Trustworthy, just and clean Government: A nation of care and opportunity.” he said. “One way is not to openly back the Islamic state.”
The thrust in the manifesto: prudent management of resources, increased security for women and girls through better enforcement, reduced corruption, abuse of power, cronyism and nepotism. It also promises to uphold judicial integrity and ensure check and balance in the Government system.
“We have adopted a substantive approach because Pas has managed to break the barrier among non-Muslims who attended our ceramahs and the formation of Pas supporter clubs among non Muslims. We have to continue explaining our objectives,” he said
Hadi also announced it will face BN in 65 Parliamentary seats and 230 state seats, with 50 per cent of candidates new that consists of 13 female candidates contesting in four parliament and nine state seats. The party is also introducing a Chinese Muslim – Khalid Idham Lim Abdullah in Perak and maintaining Kelantan State Exco Datuk Annuar Tan Abdullah. The party leader said they need PKR to win the polls. “Through PKR, we can get the majority votes. But we will also make sure the other races are not marginalised,” he said. “We are confident of retaining Kelantan and seizing back Terengganu. As for Kedah, we are hoping to make inroads,” he said. However, Hadi said the party will form an alliance with the DAP. “The DAP felt it lost many seats by cooperating with us. Our political mission is the same but our ideologies are different,” he said. Nevertheless, Pas will not contest in DAP areas.
Their main pillars were still strongly base on Islam but assured that there will be justice for all races. “We leave in multiracial society. If they can accept the western ideology, why can’t they accept Islam? Not all Malaysians understand what we are fighting for but what is important is that we have managed to break the barriers within of seeking common goals,” he said.
Even though, Hadi said Pas will continue to push for Islamic hudud laws but it will not affect non-Muslims. So what can the non-Muslims expect from Pas? “They can use the word Allah freely and get assurance on freedom of language, vernacular schools, freedom of media and assembly to stage protest. Places of worship will also not be destroyed without permission.”
