I refer to your news report entitled ‘ PAS wants a stronger presence in Penang ’, highlighting the political ambition of this party to acquire political influence all over the peninsular but the basic question is, for what purpose? If it is for the purpose of implementing hudud laws and religious politics, I would say Penangites would not welcome them.

Recent events show that PAS has not changed much, ever since March 8 2008 political tsunami. Leaders of PAS have thought that the non-Muslims’ support is there for them to grab because of the latter’s dislike for Umno.

At the same time, the Malay electorate will also stay with PAS because of  its more credible Islamic credentials. PAS has always talked about their successes in managing the state of Kelantan. So proud is PAS and their leaders, they even go the extent of belittle other states for indulging too much in material development.

To PAS, they claim to be successful for running a government mainly along the spiritual line and yet it was able to survive for more than 20 years. PAS has forgotten that a lot Kelantan people have to be gainfully employed outside the state to earn a living for themselves and their families. And because the rest of peninsular states are not so “religious” in nature, job opportunities are still available to the Kelantan folks.

Economically PAS has survived through the back-door assistance of the other non-PAS states. If each and every state has been run along the same premise as Kelantan, economic hardships and unemployment will definitely befall on the average Malaysians. Of course PAS leaders has been syok sendiri all the time, they would not admit all their own miscarriage and misdirections in politics.

PAS’s struggle for a spiritual and divine government is not suitable for the people of Penang. The party has little or any economic agenda for the people. Given the kind of political and economic sentiments in Penang, PKR Malay candidates have better winning edge over PAS when thrown into a Malay majority or racially mixed seats.

PAS wanted to be seen and felt everywhere. Like Umno, there are a lot of syok sendiri culture in PAS too when discussing winning chances in the GE. In 2008, PAS was given lesser seats in Penang by design, because it wanted to wrest control of the state government in other places.

Therefore they placed less emphasis in Penang and concentrated on state seats where they had a chance of forming state government. By coincidence this was the right setting for Penang, less PAS, more DAP and PKR to suit the local political sentiments.

There might be one or two leaders in PAS who are moderates but generally it is very religiously biased. PAS wanted more seats in Penang, it is perfectly logical but again for what purpose?

To the non-Muslims, PAS has not actually transformed deep enough to stand out as an alternative to Umno. Just like PAS always attacked Umno for lack of transformation, PAS is equally guilty of the same.

PAS is not welcome in Penang, just like how they suffered defeat in the Sawarak election last April. PAS has got to transform further, be more centre-middle, less religious in order to stay relevant in Penang.