Hu Pang Chow, the cofounder the PAS Supporters' Club, which had been subsequently upgraded to the fourth wing in PAS, has severed ties with the party.

When contacted, Hu confirmed this, citing a loss of faith in the new PAS leadership.

"I am saddened that after PAS struggled hard to reach where it is today - after the 12th and 13th general elections it proved it could gain non-Muslims support - the ulama are giving up this opportunity and are self destructing the party," he told Malaysiakini.

Hu helped set up the PAS Supporters' Club in 2004, which later became the PAS Supporters' Congress in 2010 at the urgings of progressive leaders in the party to make PAS more inclusive.

His departure comes amidst plans by PAS progressive leaders, who were ousted from the party leadership by conservative hardliners last month, to set up a new party.

Hu said having supported PAS for 16 years, the party's fundamentals have not changed but its direction has deviated from the party slogan 'PAS for all'.

"The problem is the young ulama (who have taken over the party). The party has deviated from its path and is destroying all that it has achieved," said the Kelantanese.

Asked whether Hu will back Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB), a movement formed by the ousted PAS progressive leaders as a precursor to a new party, he was coy and said to watch if he shows up at GHB's roadshow in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Rising conservatism

Hu contested under the PAS banner in Ayer Hitam against MCA's Wee Ka Siong in the last general election but lost.

He ceased being the PAS Supporters' Congress chief in 2014 after becoming increasingly critical of the growing conservative elements in the party.

The rise of the conservative young turks culminated with the ouster of the entire progressive lineup from the PAS leadership in June, followed by PAS severing of ties with DAP, a move that has led to the demise of Pakatan Rakyat.

The new PAS leadership has expressed possibilities it may field non-Muslim candidates from the PAS Supporters' Congress against DAP in the next general election.

However, Muhajid Yusof Rawa, a key leader in GHB who was instrumental in the creation of the PAS Supporters' Congress, said even the wing was now rethinking its position as PAS has drifted farther to the right under its conservative leadership.