Islamic Party of Malaysia

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The Islamic Party of Malaysia (commonly known as PAS or Pas, from the Malay Parti Islam SeMalaysia) is an Islamist political party in Malaysia and is currently headed by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang. PAS positions itself as an Islamist party that aims to establish Malaysia as a country based on Islamic legal theory derived from the primary sources of Islam, the Quran and Sunnah, as opposed to Barisan Nasional's Islam Hadhari, which PAS sees as based on a watered-down understanding of Islam.

The party enjoys strong support from northern rural and conservative area such as Kelantan and Terengganu. It is also the first opposition party in independent Malaysia's history to defeat the Barisan Nasional coalition in a Malay dominated state. In 1999, riding a groundwell of popular protest after the arrest and conviction of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, PAS allied itself with the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Keadilan, founded by Anwar Ibrahim's wife Wan Azizah by forming a coalition known as Barisan Alternatif. In the general election, PAS took over Terengganu from the incumbent Barisan Nasional.

In the 2004 Malaysian general election, the party's strength was greatly reduced. It won merely seven parliamentary seats, a significant decrease from the 27 parliamentary seats it had won in the 1999 general election. The party leader, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang even lost his parliamentary seat while one of the seven seats was won because a Barisan Nasional candidate was disqualified on a technicality. PAS also lost control of Terengganu but retained control of Kelantan with a very slim majority of 24 out of 45 seats. [1]. The party's majority in Kelantan's state assembly was further reduced to 23 seats following the Pengkalan Pasir by-election in 2005. At the present, PAS only has the majority of one seat in the state assembly.

Contents 1 Early History: The Formation of Hizbul Muslimin 2 Demise and revival 3 Criticism on government 4 View on entertainment 5 Sharia law 6 Islamic Issue 7 Notes and references 7.1 Other references 8 External links

[edit] Early History: The Formation of Hizbul Muslimin

In March 1947 the first Pan-Malayan Islamic conference at Madrasah Ma'ahad al-Ehya as-Sharif at Gunung Semanggul, Perak, was held. The conference was sponsored by Parti Kesatuan Melayu Muda (PKMM) under the leadership of Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmy. The conference set out to address the economic problems faced by the Malay-Muslims. It was meant to bring together the more politically active and progressive Islamic mvoements and thinkers in the country. As a result of this conference, the Majlis Agama Tertinggi (Supreme Religious Council, MATA) of Malaya was formed.

MATA began organising political events and meetings for Malay-Muslim activists to meet and discuss their plans for the future and the need to mobilise the masses. The Council also organised a conference on 13-16 March 1948 which discussed local and international issues which are of concern to the public. The conference participants felt that UMNO was not doing enough to raise important issues in public and that the conservative-nationalists were not doing enough to stand up for Malay-Muslim rights. Needless to say, the UMNO representatives at MATA were not happy with the tone of discussion set by the Islamists, which was too revolutionary and militant for their taste. The UMNO delegates reported their findings and observations to the party leaders. In due course, UMNO leader Dato Onn Jaafar began to issue warnings about the "threat from the mountain" (a reference to Gunung Semanggul).

The Parti Orang Muslimin Malaya (Hizbul Muslimin) was formed on March 17 1948, after the second conference declared that MATA should be reorganised as an Islamic political party. With the formation of Hizbul Muslimin, all political activities were transferred to the organisation. MATA served as the party's religious affairs bureau. However the first Islamist party in Malaya was not destined to last long, as they were banned by the British authorities anxious to retain control of the territories, alleging that Hizbul Muslimin have ties with the Malayan Communist Party.

[edit] Demise and revival

Many of the members of Hizbul Muslimin escaped the purge of the British and joined UMNO. When the ulama faction in UMNO broke away from the party, they formed an association called Persatuan Islam Sa-Malaya (Pan-Malayan Islamic Association)^[1], abbreviated as PAS. At the time the association charter allows for dual membership in PAS and UMNO and therefore many of the members in PAS think of themselves as UMNO members and vice-versa. Eventually the dual-membership clause in the party charter was revoked and PAS began to emerge as a distinct entity.

For the sake of contesting in the general elections of 1955, the party was re-registered under the name Pan-Malayan Islamic Party (PMIP). ^[2] The name was later changed to Parti Islam Se-Malaysia during the Asri Muda era in the 1970s.^[3]

[edit] Criticism on government

PAS always alleging that the social problems among Malays and Muslim as the government fault. After independent, the social problem such as drug and rape to be among the main crime. PAS strongly support the action to stop the National Service(NS) and urged the government to improve its security.

[edit] View on entertainment

As an Islamic politival party, PAS oppose all entertainment that will damage the society's moral. It alleging the program like Karnival JomHeboh and Akademi Fantasia can damage the moral of Malays and Muslim. However, the controversy made by Nik Aziz Nik Mat when PAS in Kelantan invited the famous singer, Mawi to Kota Bharu.

[edit] Sharia law

PAS has publicly stated its intent to instate what it claims to be sharia law, including the full range of criminal laws, such as the controversial death penalty for apostasy (murtad), but has so far been stymied in a court battle. The Barisan Nasional(BN) maintains that this would violate the Federal Constitution. At the same time, BN claims that Malaysia is already an Islamic State.

Moves by PAS to extend the already implemented sharia laws , such as by limiting the sale of alcoholic beverage, forbidden to Muslims, and a ban on gambling. In 1999 the Terengganu Government passed the Hudud and Qisas bill which drew much opposition, and eventually prompted the Democratic Action Party to leave the Barisan Alternatif coalition.

[edit] Islamic Issue

PAS always condemned any invasion on Islamic states such as Israel war in Lebanon and Second Chechen War. In 1980s, many of it's members went to Afghanistan and join the resistance against Communist.In 2001 US-led war on Afghanistan, PAS urged some members to fight along Taliban.Early 2006, PAS urged Muslim to boycott Danish goods in the response to Danish cartoon controversy.

[edit] Notes and references

1. ^ Farish Noor (2004). Islam Embedded: The Historical Development of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party PAS (1951 - 2003), Vol. I, p. 72. MSRI
2. ^ ibid., p. 87
3. ^ ibid.

[edit] Other references

• Ahmad, Abdul Razak (Oct. 16, 2005). "Umno picks up Pas' reinvention gauntlet". New Straits Times, p. 18.
• "Malaysia's Islamic opposition party prepares for key by-election". (Nov. 6, 2005). AFP.

[edit] External links

• PAS website
• Harakahdaily (PAS newspaper-in English and Malay)

See also: List of political parties in Malaysia, Politics of Malaysia

Political parties in Malaysia
National Front: United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) | Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) | Malaysian People's Movement Party (Gerakan) | Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) | People's Progressive Party (PPP) | United Traditional Bumiputera Party (PBB) | Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) | Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) | United Sabah Party (PBS) | Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) | United Sabah People's Party (PBRS) | United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) | Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) | Sarawak People's Party (PRS)
Alternative Front: Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) | People's Justice Party (PKR)
Other Parties: Democratic Action Party (DAP) | Malaysian People's Party (PRM) | Malaysian Workers' Party (PPM) | Malaysian Dayak Congress (MDC) | Pan Malaysian Islamic Front (BERJASA) | Sarawak National Party (SNAP) | Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (KIMMA) | United Pasok Nunukragang National Organization (PASOK) | Community Coalition Congress (CCC) | Federated Sabah People's Front (BERSEKUTU) | United Democratic Sabah People's Power Party (SETIA) | State Reform Party (STAR) | Malaysian People's Justice Front (AKIM) | Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP) | All Malaysian Indian Progressive Front (AMIPF) | Punjabi Party of Malaysia (PPM) | Sarawak Native People's Party (PBDS) | Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM)