Ask PAS politicians and they will tell you that power struggles are a non-issue in a party that operates on dialogue and consensus to arrive at decisions.

While that may be true, a certain sense of excitement pervades PAS circles these days, as thoughts turn to the ideal candidate to fill the No 2 slot.

The deputy presidency has remained vacant for almost a year now, after Abdul Hadi Awang ( photo, left ) was picked to be acting PAS president following the death of Fadzil Noor ( photo, right ) on June 23 last year.

The next triennial meeting in September - known as the Dewan Muktamar - is expected to officially endorse Hadi's appointment as party leader. New office-bearers will also be elected.

Area meetings are now underway as part of the nomination process leading up to the Muktamar - and one name has consistently cropped up as the potential second in command.

Hot favourite

Vice-president Mustafa Ali - also the Terengganu deputy mentri besar - is the hot favourite to move up to deputy president, although he is said to be personally uncomfortable with the idea.

This is partly due to the fact that he has been among the most vocal proponents of the Kepimpinan Ulamak policy - which refers to the ideal of the party being led mainly by religious scholars. He himself is a lawyer by profession.

Mustafa, a source says, has already turned down numerous requests to take up the deputy president's post, as he feels this would go against the policy that he had helped to craft and implement.

"(In the early 1980s, while he was Youth chief), he presented a working paper on the importance of ulamak leadership. If he were to accept the post, he would be seen as going against a policy for which he has fought hard," a senior party official told malaysiakini .

Since then, however, the party leadership profile has developed to include a larger number of professionals - academicians, lawyers and doctors among them - who have helped diversify the traditional PAS image of conservative religious figures.

This being so, it may now prove a little easier for lobbyists to persuade Mustafa to accept the nomination for deputy president prior to the party election.

PAS Selangor deputy commissioner Dr Syafie Abu Bakar puts the situation into perspective when he says that there is always room for professionals to complement the ulamak leadership.

"We need professionals members to help the party deal with daily administrative functions, public interaction and community service. Without their help, things may not always go smoothly," he says.

New trend

A journalist who covers PAS politics says he has noticed that party members seem more at ease with the presence of professionals alongside the ulamak .

"Even hardcore supporters of the ulamak in Kelantan and Terengganu (the two states held by PAS) are no longer kicking up a fuss over the inclusion of professionals in the leadership," said the journalist, who requested anonymity.

Another party watcher confirms the trend, explaining too that the PAS structure and hierarchy are designed to enable collective decision making at the highest level.

In this respect, he says, it matters less as to who fills individual posts, compared to who has final authority in guiding the party.

PAS is led by a Mursyidul Am (Spiritual Leader) - currently Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat ( photo) - who heads the Majlis Syura Ulamak (Consultative Ulamak Council). Below this come the central working committee, Dewan Ulamak , the women's and youth wings.

"Any decision made by any of these components is ultimately endorsed or rejected by the Syura . Even if Mustafa leads the party after Hadi, the Syura would still have the last say," notes the party watcher.

Avoiding a monopoly

It is not just the question of hierarchy that has had to be settled in sensitive manner. There is also the issue of factionalism within the party, which draws most of its members and leaders from Terengganu.

There is a sense that power should be distributed fairly, a matter that Mustafa's aides say weighs heavily on his mind.

"Hadi, who is from Terengganu and is the mentri besar of that state, already helms the party. If his deputy also comes from the same state, it may look like they are monopolising top positions," a source explains.

"Mustafa would be careful not to upset colleagues from other states, who may feel they or their nominees have a legitimate claim to the No 2 post. Other members from Terengganu are also equally nervous because they do not want to cause ill feeling over Mustafa's nomination."

This, the source says, may influence Mustafa's decision as to whether or not to accept a nomination for deputy president, especially if it becomes clear that many are uneasy about the idea.

However, PAS Youth chief Mahfuz Omar, who is from Kedah, does not anticipate problems over this. The Pokok Sena MP recalls that the top posts have been filled mainly by leaders from Terengganu.

"Hadi aside, Dewan Ulamak chief Harun Taib Muslimat and (women's) head Fatimah Zainab Ibrahim (Harun's wife) are from Terengganu. Prior to my own appointment, the Youth chief was Abu Bakar Chik, who also came from that state," Mahfuz says.

"Anyone elected to the top posts has the trust of all party representatives, who give their mandate based on each person's capability. So it does not matter where they come from.".

Leadership qualities

Dr Syafie agrees, saying the "state factor" should not stop any eligible candidate, including Mustafa, from holding a post.

"Of course, some people may not like the fact that the two top posts are held by leaders from the same state. But personally speaking, this should not matter so long as the candidate can do the job," he says.

He sees Mustafa as the best person for the deputy president's post in terms of both seniority and experience.

"He obtained the highest number of votes (in the last party election) among the three vice-presidents, so he is the most qualified candidate ( for the deputy's post) by way of popular vote," he said.

Central working committee member Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud holds a similar view, but says practical consideration must be given to whether Hadi and Mustafa (if elected) can co-ordinate their time to manage their duties at the head of both the party and the state.

"At the moment, Hadi has Mustafa to assist him with state-level duties, but some ask what might happen if Mustafa also has to handle party responsibilities. This is not an issue for me, but it is being discussed at some levels," she says.

However, Mahfuz feels that Mustafa will not have any difficulty coping or managing his time, saying Hadi has set an example on how a party leader can handle important portfolios at the same time.

Although the names of the other two vice-presidents - Senator Hassan Shukri and Dr Hassan Ali - are being bandied about in the run-up to the party election, sources say Mustafa is the more popular candidate.

"The ulamak and the professionals at the top level regard Mustafa as reliable advisor. He has been a 'referee' whenever leaders argue among themselves. He is a good strategist and a brilliant policy maker. He is perfect for the job," says the journalist.

"Even Hassan feels that Mustafa is the best man for the post. Furthermore, Hadi is comfortable with him and the two can take the party to greater heights."

All that remains is for Mustafa himself to give the nod as and when the nominations are submitted to the party leadership come September.