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Malaysia: Islamic Party Rules Out Talks With Mahathir
by Kazi Mahmood
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (IslamOnline) - A cat and mouse game played by the Party Islam Se Malaysia (PAS) and the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) to sit at the same table and discuss Malay unity has most likely come to an end this weekend.
Both parties, as expected, turned out to be on different wavelengths on relevant issues to their respective electorates.
The UMNO desires that the PAS help unite Malays politically with Mahathir, going so far as to invite the PAS to join the ruling National Front (NF) in an enlarged coalition.
The Islamic party rejected the offer some two weeks ago, insisting that it was very comfortable being in opposition to the ruling UMNO-dominated regime. Sensing that Mahathir was under extreme pressure on the issue of Malay unity, the PAS issued demands before sitting at the same table with the premier.
The PAS is presently asking for the return of "hijacked" oil royalties Mahathir ended, denying the Islamic government of the state of Terrenganu guaranteed revenue of $200 million a year.
The PAS also asked for their popular tabloid newspaper, the Harakah, to be published twice weekly instead of the stringent twice monthly measures imposed on it by the Home Ministry.
In addition, the PAS stated that it did not desire to discuss Malay unity with Mahathir since more urgent matters needed to be discussed.
Among other issues, PAS president Fadzil Noor said the ruling Malay party should be ready to discuss the release of jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, and address concerns over political meddling in the judiciary.
Mahathir said his party could not influence the decision making of the entire NF government and issues, like that of Anwar Ibrahim's jailing, the Harakah publication and oil royalties, were beyond the scope of the UMNO.
Irritating the PAS, and Malays in general, the opposition party urged the UMNO to use its influence in government and allow the PAS to have its demands accepted.
Noor stated that there is only one Mahathir in Malaysia, making things simpler for the UMNO to accept the PAS's conditions. "There are no two Mahathirs. If there were two then still we would have asked the Mahathir UMNO president to talk to the Mahathir Prime Minister to enlarge the round table discussion they want to have with us."
A UMNO insider, Abdul Manap, a party worker since 1974, told IslamOnline that the party is trying to win the hearts of Malays by bringing up the issue of Malay disunity.
He, however, said the question was not raised since Malays are well united politically in the first place.
"In essence, we can say the Malays are united behind the opposition since a large majority of this community are effectively supporters of the Islamists and of Anwar Ibrahim.
"The reality today is that UMNO is a divided party, with too many issues affecting the leadership at all levels of the party.
"UMNO even has problems to get quorums for its activities in certain regions of Selangor and even Johor, both strongholds of the Barisan National, but not essentially of the UMNO since the last general elections." Manap revealed.
He, however, placed blame for UMNO division and the present unpopularity of the oldest political organization in Malaysia, on Mahathir's entourage. He said Mahathir did much for Malays and for the UMNO, but that the people he surrounded himself with brought the party to its knees.
Manap approved of the PAS's stance in the issue of Malay unity and said it was time for the UMNO to seek change not only in leadership, but also from the base upwards.
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