PAS' ousted progressive leaders plan to set up a new party if the party's new leadership becomes more introverted and closed, and towards this they want PasMa to take a backseat and leave the party-making to the professionals.

The progressives, banded together as the G18, claimed that Pasma doesn't have enough traction with the grassroots to lead a new party.

"I'm not saying (PasMa) is not good [...] but realistically speaking, a substantive number of PAS members have some reservations about Pasma.

"(PasMa president) Phahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi is a good guy but for them (grassroots) he was a troublemaker during the Kedah fiasco," former central committee member Hanipa Maidin ( photo ) told Malaysiakini .

He was referring to Phahrolrazi's role in the Kedah menteri besar crisis which began in 2011 in which the former deputy Kedah PAS chief tried to unseat then PAS menteri besar, Azizan Abdul Razak.

Besides this Hanipa said the mistrust towards PasMa may be due to PAS members not understanding the NGO's original goal, which he said was to fill a vacuum should PAS be kicked out or if it decides to leave Pakatan Rakyat.

But does the progressive faction have more traction than Pasma? Khalid Samad ( photo ) certainly thinks so.

"In terms of reputation and track record in the political field, I believe we have more than what Pasma has to offer," the Shah Alam MP told Malaysiakini .

"As far as I understand, PasMa wants to remain an NGO, so they should do that and don't get involved in setting up a political party. [...] if there needs to be a new party let us do it.

"I think what they're doing is trying to raise awareness of a new party, they're going to support the founding of the party but they're not going to do it themselves," he added.

Both Hanipa and Khalid feel that it would be better for PasMa to simply join a new party.

Phahrolrazi downplays progressives' move

PasMa was set up in August last year as cracks began to form in Pakatan following the Selangor menteri besar crisis.

After DAP pronounced Pakatan 'dead' last week, the NGO revealed that it would be setting up a new party which would be part of a new coalition with DAP.

PasMa said it has already discussed the matter with the G18, but Khalid told Malaysiakini that the progressives have made their feelings quite clear.

Phahrolrazi ( photo ) downplayed the progressives' move to muscle his NGO out, insisting that PasMa will be involved in setting up the new party together with the G18.

"The sides who will set up the party are more towards the group we have now. PasMa is involved, so are former PAS progressive leaders, and a few NGOs. It's a joint venture" he told Malaysiakini.

Phahrolrazi plans to make an announcement on a new party after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, while the G18 has given the new PAS leadership 100 days from the muktamar, to 'change' or face a new force.

Will the G18 get its way or will PasMa decide to form a separate party to vie for the Muslim vote in Pakatan?

It is anyone's guess for now, and a Magic 8-ball would probably tell you: "Reply hazy - try again later."