Opinion - News Analysis

A lesson learnt the hard way

Simon Tisdall

The Islamic Party of Malaysia has just learnt that issues of development matter as much as faith when it comes to winning votes.

DISMAYED BY election setbacks, the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) is learning the hard way that sewage systems matter as much as faith when it comes to winning votes. But like other non-violent Islamist movements across the Muslim world, its leaders also blame their misfortunes on fraudulent electoral practices and anti-democratic, institutional roadblocks erected by governments determined to retain power.

Interviewed in Kuala Lumpur, the party's deputy president, Nasharudin Mat Isa, said like-minded parties such as the Muslim Brotherhood, in Egypt, were increasingly heeding western calls to pursue their aims via the ballot box. But he warned that this evolution could go into reverse if the Islamists' progress was unfairly impeded, as he claimed happened during a recent by-election in Kelantan, where PAS narrowly lost.

"We decided after the election that we had to pay more attention to development issues that concern ordinary people, like education, services and sewage," Mr Mat Isa said. "We want to change the image of the party and increase our appeal to the non-Muslim, non-Malay Chinese, and Indian minorities. We still want an Islamic state. But we want to discuss it in the context of universal values and rights, good governance, and justice issues."

Mr. Mat Isa claimed abuses by the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the main governing party, had distorted the result in the PAS heartland, Kelantan. "Money was poured in by Umno, there was misuse of government machinery, impersonation, intimidation, manipulation of the electoral roll, and media bias," he said. PAS has challenged the election result without success. The government denies the accusations.

According to Mr. Mat Isa, his party's efforts are now concentrated on forging a new electoral strategy, including alliances with domestic, secular Opposition parties such as Anwar Ibrahim's People's Justice party, and with a network of non-violent Islamist groups in Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Jordan. PAS wanted to create a moderate Malaysian model for others entering the democratic process. For that reason, he said, it has not officially endorsed Hamas, which has refused to renounce armed struggle, in the forthcoming Palestinian elections.

The Kelantan experience has prompted talk among PAS hardliners of a boycott of the next federal election. Such a move would deal a blow to Malaysia's reputation as an inclusive multi-ethnic, multi-faith state, and to United States-led efforts to encourage democratic engagement in the Muslim world.

"America has got to be realistic," Mr. Mat Isa said. "Despite imposed, negative perceptions, Islam is advancing everywhere. This is a global movement. There are different approaches, but the non-violent, democratic approach is growing in popularity."

All the same, PAS' travails could have a more prosaic explanation: a party that the government has previously linked to terrorism may be just plain unpopular — and possibly a little feared. The last federal election saw its parliamentary representation collapse from 27 seats to five. It also lost Terengganu State, leaving Kelantan as the only State Assembly under its control.

The PAS spiritual leadership's inflexible interpretations of sharia family law, its morality police "snoop squads," and its ban on mixed cinema audiences, seem outmoded to many Malaysians and especially to women's rights groups.

"One of the unintended consequences of development and urbanisation is increased identification with religion," said Mohamed Jawhar bin Hassan, chairman of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies, in Kuala Lumpur.

"We need to restrain religious extremism.Governance in Malaysia is not perfect but the danger presented by some of the alternatives should not be scoffed at."

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

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