A policy speech yesterday by PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali ( photo ) on the Islamic state issue would not come totally as a surprise to Barisan Alternatif (BA) partners, PRM vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah said today.

And come the merger between PRM and Keadilan, it is likely to solidify into one common position.

PRM's position in opposing the Islamic state has been stated at many closed-door meetings within the opposition coalition, he told malaysiakini.

However, Sivarasa did concede that some PAS leaders may be surprised by Syed Husin's declaration, as they were not involved in inter-party discussions at the top level.

Mounting criticism

He said the issue was raised due to concerns - from both Keadilan and PRM - over mounting criticism against PAS over its move to push forward the Islamic state proposal and hudud laws.

"I believe that Keadilan shares similar sentiments," he said.

In arguably one of the clearest positions made by a BA component party on PAS' Islamic-state blueprint , Syed Husin had called for a reappraisal of the relationship within the BA because PAS has been making decisions on key policies without prior consultation with its partners.

Sivarasa admitted that the speech signified a shift away from the single common political vision previously advocated by BA, to what component members would now describe as "agreeing to disagree" on certain issues.

The change, he added, was more on "identifying the common ground" between the parties - issues of democracy, accountability, good governance, and social justice such as housing and healthcare - while maintaining the right to have "differences over political vision".

Stand by PAS' right

However, PRM's position on PAS' vision of an Islamic state is clear. It will not endorse a governance model that contradicts the Federal Constitution. Under the PAS model, syariah law will have supremacy over constitution law.

At the same time, PRM will stand by PAS' right to put forward its vision, said Sivarasa.

"While we disagree with PAS' vision of an Islamic state, this does not mean that PAS cannot espouse such a position. It is PAS' democratic right to do so."

Since PAS' Islamic blueprint model was unexpectedly leaked in June, PAS leaders, while declining to provide details of the plan pending translation work, have insisted the model is in the spirit of the Federal Constitution.

The plan was drawn in reaction to the challenge by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in September, who called on PAS to put down in writing what it meant by an Islamic state.