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Malaysia Today Umno screams, rants and raves about 'struggling' for Islam. Umno boasts about being the largest Islamic party in the world. Umno thumps its chest and argues that PAS can only talk about Islam while Umno can do more than talk since it is in power -- meaning, it has to the power to serve Islam.
Well, read this Editorial from today’s New Straits Times. This editorial from a newspaper owned by Umno demonises PAS and therefore in the same breath demonises Islam. In the Malay language newspapers that are read by Malays, Umno talks nice things about Islam. In the New Straits Times read by non-Malays, Umno demonises Islam.
Such is the two-faced Umno, which Islam labels as munafik. ***********************************
Editorial: Elephant in the roomWHILE there was no formal pact between Pas, DAP and PKR, there was an understanding not to contest against each other in the March 8 general election, and they worked together to woo the voters during the election campaigns. And when they emerged with the biggest block of seats in the state legislative assemblies of Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor, they were able to put together state governments with working majorities. In these circumstances, their decision to come together under a common banner is a logical progression.
However, while the newly-minted "People's Alliance" pledges to work together on common principles, it is quite clear that it has not been political principle but political power and the politics of preservation that have been the glue that has brought and bound them together. This is one interpretation of the nature of the alliance given the sharp differences between them over ideology and policy.
And nothing has served to drive a wedge between them more than the goal of an Islamic state that Pas aspires to. Indeed, it was on this divisive issue that the Barisan Alternatif, the earlier incarnation of Pakatan Rakyat, fell apart.
DAP leaders have made no bones about being passionately opposed to the Islamic state. It is a bogeyman that has scared and alienated many. But now, we are made to believe that it is no longer an issue because Pas has not made it an issue for some time now. It is understandable that the partners in the alliance are reluctant to talk about the issue because they are not likely to stick together for long if they do.
However, there has been nothing to suggest that Pas has changed its spots. It has been political expediency that has driven Pas to soft-pedal on an issue that constitutes a cornerstone of its politics and the core of its political appeal.
To all intents and purposes, while the Islamic state issue seems to have been buried by Pas during and after the elections, it still remains an elephant in the room which is too large to get around by skirting the issue.
At the moment, there are probably more immediate practical problems about co-operation on matters in governing the states under their control that have to be considered.
Nevertheless, in articulating a vision for the alliance that all its component parties can rally behind, it is critical that its collective leaders spell out the common stand on the Islamic state and hudud laws. Political doublespeak doesn't cut it.
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