Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUALALUMPUR1049
2007-06-19 00:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:  

YOUNG PROGRESSIVES RETAIN INFLUENCE IN PAS PARTY

Tags:  PGOV PREL KISL KDEM MY 
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VZCZCXRO8859
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #1049/01 1700005
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 190005Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9498
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 001049 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL KDEM MY
SUBJECT: YOUNG PROGRESSIVES RETAIN INFLUENCE IN PAS PARTY
ELECTIONS

REF: KUALA LUMPUR 905

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David B. Shear for
reasons 1.4 (b, d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUALA LUMPUR 001049

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL KDEM MY
SUBJECT: YOUNG PROGRESSIVES RETAIN INFLUENCE IN PAS PARTY
ELECTIONS

REF: KUALA LUMPUR 905

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David B. Shear for
reasons 1.4 (b, d).


1. (SBU) Summary: Malaysia's Islamist opposition party, the
Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS),held its annual general
meeting and biennial party elections June 1-3 in Kota Bharu,
Kelantan, the only state controlled by PAS. As expected,
party president Abdul Hadi Awang ran unopposed and retained
his post. A group of well-educated, young professionals,
often called the "Young Turks", headed by the 45 year old,
incumbent deputy party president Nasharuddin Mat Isa, managed
to ward off a major challenge from conservative religious
scholars, or "ulamas", seeking to reassert greater influence
within the party. Nasharuddin retained his seat comfortably
against the former chief of the party's Ulama Council and
well-known firebrand Harun Taib, but the ulamas made up
ground in the party's three wings. The battle for the deputy
president position highlighted a wider struggle for control
over the direction of the party, but in the end the more
progressive young professionals maintained much of their
influential presence on the party's central working
committee. PAS will focus on retaining Kelantan in the
upcoming general election. End Summary.


Focus on elections
--------------


2. (SBU) Malaysia's Islamist opposition party, the Islamic
Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia - PAS),held its
53rd annual general meeting and biennial party elections June
1-3 in Kota Bharu, the capital of the PAS-controlled state of
Kelantan. In a break from years past, the key note address
by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang concentrated almost
entirely on domestic politics and the party's preparation for
the upcoming general elections. Hadi generally ignored
foreign politics, making only brief mention of the Middle
East, and largely avoided the traditional heavy criticism of
the United States. This year's themes were merely two fold--
party elections and the anticipated general election. In
what was perhaps the anti-climax of the weekend, Hadi ran

unopposed and retained his post as party president. All
other posts were more hotly contested and represented a
genuine struggle for control of the party.

Ulamas seek a comeback
--------------


3. (SBU) Prior to the party elections, there were very
strong undercurrents that the conservative ulamas were
dissatisfied with the progressive professional group that
gained prominence in 2005. The ulamas, mainly representing
the party's old guard, felt that the progressive youths were
steering the party away from "its true path" of creating an
Islamic state in Malaysia. One journalist told poloffs that
the conservatives felt the professionals, headed by party
deputy president Nasharuddin, were rash in making too many
changes and compromises. Furthermore, the ulamas argue that
it was only under the ulama leadership since 1983 that PAS
had managed to win Kelantan in the 1990 general election and
later Terengganu in the 1999 election (although the party
failed to retain Terengganu in the 2004 polls). As one
Kelantan-based journalist told poloffs, the ulamas felt that
"leadership of the ulama" should be the central thrust of the
party, and they felt that the young professionals "were
trying to isolate the ulamas."


4. (SBU) Since their sweep to power in 2005, the "Young
Turks" have struggled with the ulamas over divergent views on
the future of the party. The ulamas opposed the professional
group's decision to purchase the party headquarters located
in the heart of a red light district in the city (ref A) and
against the party's efforts to digitize its outreach through
the party's new television station, PAStv, as well as its new
web portal. The ulamas claimed that these endeavors and the
purchase of the new headquarters building were a waste of the
party's money and resources. They also stated that the
location of the new building was totally unacceptable and did
not "reflect the Islamic nature of the party." In fact Harun
Taib, the former ulama chief was notably absent at the launch
of the new party headquarters by the party's spiritual leader
Nik Aziz in May. The ulamas are also opposed to cooperating
with other political parties in the loose opposition
coalition to take on the ruling National Front.


5. (SBU) However, the young professional group in the party
is focused on being more open and inclusive, and as one
journalist in Kota Bharu told poloffs, "basically wants to

KUALA LUMP 00001049 002 OF 003


position PAS in national politics." Dr.Shamsul Amri
Baharuddin, a professor of Malaysian politics, commented in a
press interview that both groups have the party's interest at
heart, but they are split in their approach. He added that
the Young Turks in the party are not neglecting the party's
objective of establishing an Islamic state but are "just
being pragmatic." In other words, Shamsul opined, "for the
Young Turks, the immediate task is to win power because, once
they are in power, then they can implement the party's main
tasks."

Young Turks retain their influence but lose ground
-------------- --------------


6. (SBU) Nasharuddin's convincing win in which he obtained
574 votes to Harun Taib's 367 votes indicated, according to a
sympathetic central committee member, that the party
delegates were "comfortable and confident" with the
professionals in the party. Many observers expected Harun
Taib to receive more votes as the conservative group had
earlier wrested the youth and women's wing movements and the
leadership of several key divisions of the party from the
professional group. They felt that there might be a swing
against the professionals in the party. Even for the three
vice presidents posts, the ulamas only gained one position
through the election of PAS Information Chief Ahmad Awang.
Whereas, incumbents-- Kelantan de facto Deputy Chief Minister
Husam Musa and Mohamed Sabu-- retained their positions with a
higher majority. The other candidates for the Vice
Presidents post aligned with Harun Taib, Johor Commissioner
Dr. Mahfodz Mohamed and former PAS Youth Chief Mafuz Omar,
failed to make the cut.


7. (SBU) Notwithstanding Nasharuddin's win, all three wings
of the party saw changes in their top leadership. In the
Ulama Council, former ulama chief Harun Taib who had stepped
down to contest the deputy president post was replaced by his
deputy Mohamed Daud. Daud, much like Nik Aziz and Hadi
Awang, is more sympathetic to the Young Turks, and actually
represents a softer hand at the head of the Ulama Council.
In the PAS Youth wing, Youth chief Salahuddin Ayob and deputy
Nasruddin Hassan Tantawi were re-elected unopposed, but the
Youth executive council saw the election of eight out of
twelve members closely aligned with the more conservative
ulamas, including Nik Aziz's son, Nik Abduh, who was the top
vote getter. The women's wing also saw a change of
leadership more closely aligned with the ulamas, as Nuridah
Salleh was elected as president and Wan Hasrina Wan Hassan
elected as deputy.


8. (SBU) Embassy poloffs attended the opening ceremony of
the annual assembly along with representatives from the
embassies of Japan, Indonesia and Germany and the Canadian,
Singaporean, Australian and New Zealand High Commissions.
Foreign guests were also present from Indonesia's People's
Justice Party (PKS),Mr. Lufti Hassan Ishaaq; Egyptian Ikhwan
Member of Parliament Dr. Hazim Farouk; and two members of the
Palestinian Hamas organization, Sheikh Dr. Abu Yani and
Sheikh Abu Husam.

PAS focuses on retaining control of Kelantan
--------------


9. (SBU) For the party's 18 seat central working committee,
the delegates played it safe by voting in a mixture of
professionals (8) and religious scholars (10),although the
top four positions were all won by ulamas. Interestingly, out
of the 18 positions, four were won by Kelantanese leaders.
One journalist told poloff that the unprecedented election of
the four Kelantanese leaders to the central committee clearly
indicated, "that the Islamic opposition party desperately
wants to retain its jewel in the crown." The party currently
holds a one-seat majority in the Kelantan state legislative
assembly.

New ulama chief seeks to reunite the party
--------------


10. (SBU) PAS Research Director and central working
committee member Dr. Dzulkifli Ahmad told poloff that
Nasharuddin's victory could be attributed to the indirect
support from both the party president Hadi Awang and PAS
Spiritual leader Nik Aziz. He pointed out that both leaders
stressed the need for a balance in the party between the
ulamas and the young professionals. He further commented,
"The results were a clear mandate from party delegates that
they endorse the policies and changes brought by the young
progressive leaders." However, Dzulkifli remains concerned
that one third of the party delegates who voted for Harun
Taib did not endorse the policies of the professional group

KUALA LUMP 00001049 003 OF 003


in the party. Being one of the key party strategists, he
added that the younger leaders may have to "work harder to
convince the one third that the professionals have the
struggle of the party at heart."


11. (SBU) Dr. Dzulkifli, himself one of the "Young Turks",
also retained his own seat on the party's central committee
and added that the speech by the newly elected Ulama Chief
Mohamed Daud at the PAS assembly was very encouraging for the
professional group. Daud stated that both the ulamas and the
professionals have a role to play in the party. Daud pointed
out, "The ulamas may be well versed in religious issues but
will not be able to build a bridge. Whereas, the
professionals in the party have the capacity and the know how
to do so." He added that both groups should maintain this
long-standing close relationship for the betterment of the
party. Commenting on the statement Dzulkifli added that the
new ulama chief seemed to be more pragmatic and accepted the
mandate given by the party delegates to the professional
group.

Comments
--------------


12. (C) The retention of many of the Young Turks represents
a generally moderating effect on Malaysia's Islamic
opposition party. Their election will make it easier for PAS
to continue engaging other opposition parties both in public
and in private, and certainly makes it easier for non-Malays
to cooperate with PAS within the framework of an Alternative
Front to contest Malaysia's ruling coalition at the polls.
Nevertheless, the reelection of the young professionals does
not mean that the ulamas have lost control of the party. The
PAS constitution clearly stipulates that the "Majlis Shura"
(Shura Council, comprised primarily of senior ulamas) is the
highest decision making body of the party. The Young Turks,
however, currently enjoy the support of the party's two
senior ulamas, Nik Aziz and Hadi Awang, and thus will
continue to enjoy their space and influence in the party.
The newly elected Ulama Council chief, Mohamed Daud, also a
member of the Shura Council, has clearly indicated it is in
the best interest of the party to cooperate with the Young
Turks, and has has taken a position in line with Nik Aziz and
Hadi Awang. As long as they have the senior ulamas on their
side, the Young Turks will continue to make their moderating
mark on the party.


13. (C) PAS President Hadi Awang's focus on the upcoming
general election coupled with the election of four
Kelantanese members to the central committee indicates an
ever increased focus on retaining control of Kelantan. With
PAS holding a mere one seat majority in the Kelantan state
assembly, UMNO leaders have declared their goal of retaking
Kelantan in the next election. UMNO has reversed its long
held policy of denying development funds to Kelantan and has
sought to win hearts and minds with promises of a richer life
under UMNO control. We expect PAS to spend the bulk of its
campaign efforts trying to hold on to Kelantan and will rely
on its loose alliances with the Democratic Action Party (DAP)
and Anwar's People's Justice Party (PKR) to further the
opposition's efforts in other states.
LAFLEUR