PAS MUKTAMAR In the final 24 hours before the PAS election for its central leadership, the party's pro-ulama faction has upped the ante by publicly promoting their own 'chai' (list) or guide on who to vote.
 
The public display of the list on social media comes as a surprise as the 'chai' culture has never been openly practised in the Islamic party.
 
In past party polls, such 'chai' was distributed by hand or through text messages to intended delegates only.
 
Earlier today, the PAS Ulama wing's official Facebook page 
published a "recommendation" of preferred candidates for delegates to elect to the top party posts and central committee  (photo) .

 

The move is seen as a last minute effort by the pro-ulama faction, which is already on a strong footing, to wipe out their progressive opponents, often described as "Erdogans".
 
Previously, the PAS leadership had seen a good mix of conservatives and progressives as delegates vote according to individuals but if they go by the 'chai' this time, it would see one faction dominating the new leadership.

The wing called on delegates to vote for incumbent Abdul Hadi Awang for president and Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man as his deputy.
 
It also proposed Mohd Amar Abdullah, Idris Ahmad and Iskandar Abdul Samad to fill the three vice president spots, all of whom are staunch Abdul Hadi supporters and aligned to the conservative faction.
 
It also provided a list of 18 ulama-endorsed names to vote as central committee members.
 
Meanwhile, another Abdul Hadi supporter, central committee and Syura council member Nasrudin Hassan also posted a similar list.
 
However, his 'chai' was accompanied by another list of the progressives which was coloured red, in apparent reference to DAP's colour, compared to the pro-ulama candidates who were coloured in green.

PAS loyalist vs DAP sympathisers

Abdul Hadi had declared the party election this time is a battle between PAS loyalist and DAP sympathisers.

 

Lumped in the "read team" was Ahmad Awang as president with Mohamad Sabu as deputy as well as Husam Musa, Salahuddin Ayub and Mahfuz Omar as vice presidents.
 
Nasruddin's list of the ulama-endorsed green candidates and the red 'undesirables', also included for the youth and women wing elections, which will take place today.
 
In the youth contest, the proposed green list had Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz as chief with Khalil Abdul Hadi as his deputy along with Khairil Nizam Khirudin as the vice chief. 
 
Incumbent Suhaizan Kaiat was put into the red list with Raja Ahmad Iskandar Raja Yaacob Al Hiss as his deputy and Noor Azman Mohamad as the vice chief.
 
Interestingly, for the youth wing election 'chai', all those on the green list have either "Ustaz" or 'Haji'  before their names but not for those on the red list, even though some of them are religious clerics.
 
Meanwhile the guide for the PAS women wing was titled "full package of candidates who have stood together with the president and ulama".
 
It named Nuridah Mohd Salleh as the chief with Rosni Adam as the deputy along with Salamiah Mohd Nor as the preferred vice chief.
 
Noridah and Rosni's challengers, Rantau Panjang MP and incumbent Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff and Kota Raja MP Siti Mariah Mahmud were not mentioned.
 
Even though the party election is described as a clash between ulama and progressives, not all ulama are aligned to the ulama faction and vice versa.
 
Instead, it is a struggle between the progressives dominated pro-Pakatan Rakyat group versus the conservative-driven group that wants a tougher stance in dealing with PAS' coalition partners even if it meant breaking away.
 
The fate of PAS and Pakatan now hinges on the 1,195 PAS delegates who will be casting their ballots tomorrow to elect the PAS president and central committee.

Ulama faction set for victory

 
However, Ilham Centre executive director Muhammad Hisommuddin Bakar had predicted that Abdul Hadi and his ulama faction have already secured at least 40 percent support from the 1,195 party delegates.
 
This, he said, was because the ulama faction had systematically and successfully taken over several PAS divisional leadership in the run up to the central election to secure their own pro-ulama delegates to the muktamar.
 
Meanwhile Nasrudin (photo) when asked said the 'chai' brushed aside claims that the 'chai' was meant to undermine the progressives.
 
"We produced the 'chai' not to deny other factions (victory). 

"For example, to promote 'Breeze' detergent, you cannot say a 'Trojan' or 'Fab' washing detergent isn't good.

 
"So it is up to the delegates (to choose) and make use of the proposed list by the Dewan Ulama, he said in a press conference after the PAS Ulama muktamar in Gombak today.

PAS Ulama information chief Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali also defended Nasrudin and said the 'chai' was not meant to influence the delegate on who to vote tomorrow.

 
"We promoted the best candidates from the good to be able to bring the aspirations of Islam. 
 
We do not deny the strengths of the other candidates," he said.

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