As the Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (Pasma) readies to set up a new Islamist political party, its president Phahrolrazi Zawawi has been told to do away with lording ulamas like the syura council in PAS.

This was the advice of former minister Zaid Ibrahim, who unsuccessfully led a party of his own, the People's Welfare Party (Kita).

"Do away with the syura council, where some of the so-called ulama sit and veto whatever has been decided by the political leaders.

"There is nothing Islamic about following this style of leadership, which is modeled after Iran, where the so-called ulama hold sway on important decisions.

"You either have a normal party organised along normal principles of democratic governance, or this new party will just be a new PAS in the making," Zaid ( photo ) said in a blog posting today.

Pasma, comprising of pro-Pakatan Rakyat PAS members who have been sidelined by the new leadership dominated by conservative hardliners, is on the verge of setting up a new political party after PAS purged all the progressives at the party election.

Prospect of Pasma replacing PAS

Zaid said he was "excited" at the prospect that Pasma can replace PAS, to become a partner of DAP and PKR.

This is after DAP on Tuesday declared Pakatan dead after PAS at its muktamar earlier this month passed a motion proposing the severing of ties with DAP.

Yesterday, PKR also formally acknowledged the demise of the seven-year coalition.

DAP and PAS have had irreconcilable differences with DAP accusing PAS of repeatedly violating the Pakatan common policy framework and PAS accusing DAP of interfering in the party's internal affairs.

Zaid said Pasma's new party can call itself Islamic but it must be based on democracy with a modern outlook.

"The party president and central committee members should be the ones with the highest policy-making powers.

"The party structure must not have a spiritual leader, or a party theologian à la Haron Din ( photo ) in PAS," he said.

Ethical conduct of leaders

Zaid said Pasma's Islamic credentials must be built on Islamic values such as good governance, the ethical conduct of leaders and principles of high integrity in public office.

He warned the upcoming party against becoming obsessed with Islamic criminal law (hudud) like how PAS is.

"The problem with political Islam in the country is its obsession with cutting hands and enslaving women.

"They also like power and making money for the rich while using Islamic bodies and the ulama to ridicule liberals and the rights of minorities.

"The new party must differentiate their Islam from Umno’s and PAS' by promoting economic policies that defend the rights of the ordinary people who are struggling to make a living," he said.

Zaid also warned DAP and PKR to be careful in choosing their future allies, adding that they must be certain of their new partner's commitment to democracy.