PAS could end up the biggest loser after Bersih no-show

PETALING JAYA: PAS’ no-show at the Bersih 4 rally over the weekend seemed to be a strong indication that the Islamist party is trying to distance itself even further from the opposition pact.
When previously the shouts of “takbir” and the voice of its president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, would pierce through the air at rallies, their non-presence this time round was an indication that the party is moving further away.
In what was deemed as the largest civil movement ever in the country, their decision to marginalise themselves may turn out to be at their own expense.
Questions are being asked on why they joined the previous Bersih rallies but decided not to participate in the fourth edition, despite the differences with their "counterparts".
Political analyst Prof. Madya Azmi Sharom questioned if their decision to join the previous rallies was really based on the principles of clean election or if it was just for political gain.
“Why did they join in the first place? Anyway, even without PAS, there is still huge support. They do not need PAS anymore,” Azmi told theSun.
While the absence of PAS may have contributed to the low turnout of Malays during the Bersih 4 rally, the impending formation of the Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB) into a political party could turn that around and any fears about the opposition pact losing Malay support may be unfounded.
As PJ Utara MP Tony Pua put it: “The formalising of GHB will see the return of Malay support throughout the country in place of PAS.
“After all, even when PAS was a key participant in the past, the mobilising leaders were the progressive faction of the party (who are now with GHB), including Mat Sabu (former PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu), (Shah Alam MP) Khalid Samad and (Kuala Krai MP) Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli,” he said when contacted.
Talk on the rumour mill has also been that PAS may finally strike a unity government with Umno, but any hope of that happening seems very slim, with its vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah saying that “it was out of the question”.
Had Abdul Hadi and his PAS comrades dealt with the Selangor Mentri Besar crisis last year better, and their insistence to enforce the Hudud bill, the fragmentation in the opposition pact would not have been.
With the formation of a new coalition pact consisting of PKR, DAP and GHB now imminent, PAS may end up being the biggest loser in what has been largely of its own doing.