PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa laughed away allegations that he is a “closet Umno supporter” and that his image and lifestyle is not suited to PAS.

pas muktamar 070609 nasharudin mat isa Nasharudin ( left ) in an interview with Sunday Star today said, “(If true) why don't I be the deputy president of Umno?

“It could be that my understanding of Islam is not as many understand it,” he told the daily.

“I was exposed to a very interesting way of understanding Islam when I was in Jordan, which is a very modern Muslim country, for eight years. My lecturers in the Syariah Faculty were very modern.

“They wore suits and ties. But a huge number of them held to the very basic principles of Islam.

“So what's wrong with holding to the basic, fundamental teachings of Islam and yet be modern, progressive and forward looking?”

Nasharudin recalled turning up for a meeting with the then secretary-general of Umno (Khalil Yaakob in 2001) in a double-breasted suit and was criticised by many in PAS.

“But what's wrong? We are in Malaysia, a multi-racial society, and this is the 21st century. The debate in our society is petty and unnecessary sometimes. To me, it is not relevant.”

Umno cooperation ‘stale’

Asked his views on the age old question of PAS co-operation with Umno, he told Sunday Star that their main task was to strengthen Pakatan Rakyat and move forward.

“Nobody could deny that BN is also having its own problems. There are also some issues within Pakatan. As for PAS, we have already geared up our machinery (for the general election).

“Talks with Umno is a non-issue. I see that as basi (stale). But that (PAS’s stand on co-operation with Umno) was decided openly during the last two PAS muktamar. This coming muktamar, we will focus on strengthening PAS.”

azlan He added the party election has rocked the boat a little. “But the emphasis will be on preparing for the coming general election,” he said.

Nasharudin, 49, and Bachok MP, is facing a stiff test to keep the deputy presidency for a fourth term at the upcoming 56th PAS muktamar, since winning it in 2005.

Contesting against Nasharudin are vice president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, one of the party's top ulama figures, and fiery central committee member Mohamad Sabu.

PAS will hold its muktamar from June 3 to June 5.

Battle stations now

Asked about cooperation with PAS’s Pakatan powers, Nasharudin said the coalitions’s leaders have been talking and meeting “weekly or at least fortnightly”.

He added he had a feeling the general election will be called this year, as early as July.

He said their battlecry will be ‘ Negara Berkebajikan ’ (Welfare State) rather than ‘Islamic state’, saying the idea was what they had started since 2008 and have been expanding on.

Nasharudin dispelled suggestions that keeping his party post would impact the next general election as tne No 2 man takes the lead during polls.

“It is not about a one-man show. We are open to ideas, suggestions, comments and critiques. We will go in as a team for the general election,” he said.