The build-up to PAS' 50th muktamar (general assembly) on Friday has been ridden with angst over the party's routing in the 11th general election, with members harbouring the hope that this will adequately addressed by top leaders.

Selangor information chief Khalid Samad is among those who believes that the leaders will be bold enough to identify weaknesses and to find ways to rectify these.

"We hope that the president (Abdul Hadi Awang, photo ) will not sweep the problems under the carpet. It is important for us to identify out mistakes and how can we tackle these. There is a need for strategic re-thinking. It is a big step, no doubt, but we want them to take it," he said.

He said there is a need for a more "inclusive strategy" that appeals to the masses

"In the 1999 general election, people were still upset over the sacking of (former deputy premier) Anwar Ibrahim ( photo ). PAS was then championing justice ad fair play, which were issues that every one could identify with," he said.

"But in this year's election, we took a different approach...the issues we raised were exclusive to the party and its supporters. I think this is why we lost badly."

He said the leaders cannot afford to avoid the issue during the muktamar which convenes in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

In the March 21 elections, PAS won just seven parliamentary and 35 state seats - compared to 27 parliamentary and 98 state seats in 1999. The party lost Terengganu to Barisan Nasional and only retained control of Kelantan by a slight margin

Surprise move?

A party worker, who requested anonymity, expressed doubts that the leaders would be willing to go so far as to discuss the reasons for the poor electoral performance.

"The most they will say is that we have to accept the loss and continue business as usual. To admit the mistakes would leave several ulamak (religious scholars) in the leadership squirming in their seats...and I don't think that will happen," said the source.

Still, delegates are not expected to allow the leaders to get away with it completely.

The source said there is a possibility that an urgent motion may be tabled to defer the muktamar so that a 'special muktamar ' can be held to discuss the issue.

"There is a plan to introduce this motion between the opening of the assembly and the debate session," he said, while cautioning that the plan may be abandoned at the eleventh hour.

"The group may not be confident enough to bear the brunt of the ulamaks' displeasure. They will not approve of any special assembly as this could create an avenue to discuss the role of the ulamak and their influence on the party."

While many in the party willingly concede that party's election losses were due mainly to its hardline approach on Islamic issues - in particular the Islamic state policy introduced before the elections - a group of ulamak are said to be still in denial.

"Those ulamak who are defensive would accuse anyone (who moots the special assembly) of challenging the party's policy of kepimpinan melalui ulamak (leadership headed by scholars)," he said.

'Redefine concept'

A Kuala Lumpur-based politician said he would support such a move as there is a dire need to redefine the concept of this policy on leadership.

"Does the policy mean that all top executive posts in the party must held by the religious scholars alone? Surely that cannot be so," he said.

He said the existence of party's Majlis Syura Ulamak (scholars' consultative council) should be sufficient to uphold the policy.

Asked about this, Khalid said the question should not arise.

"Should it matter whether the post if filled by an ulamak or not? What is important is that the person holding the post is the best person for the job. Personally, I think, that is how it should be," he said, noting that many of the scholars in the party agreed with this view.

"They admitted that even Islamic history has proven that good Muslim leaders need not be ulamak as in the case of Sallehuddin al-Ayubi, who succeeded establishing an Islamic state in Constantinople."

Party vice-president Azizan Abdul Razak said ulamak in PAS have always been open to criticism and that the leaders will not issue a gag order to stop the delegates from expressing their opinions.

"However at this point I don't think any comment is appropriate on what is to be debated, as this will depend on the president's keynote address. If he touches on the issues mentioned, then delegates are free to speak," he said, adding that he has yet to hear of any urgent motion to be tabled.

"But of course, there is nothing to stop them from springing a surprise...it is a free country."