The ulama faction in PAS completely exterminated the progressives in the party’s elections at its muktamar yesterday, save for one central working committee position.

Yet, re-elected PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang denied that the party’s current top leadership only consisted of the clergy faction.

Hadi ( photo ) said the new leadership also consisted of professionals citing Razman Zakaria a former immigration department top brass and former lecturer Fadhli Hassan.

“And there is also space, according to the PAS constitution, for appointed posts,” he said, at a press conference at the muktamar today.

Stressing there was no such thing as a pro-ulama or a progressive faction, Hadi pointed out how there were many, branded as ulama who are actually professionals and vice-versa.

“Ahmad Awang, said to be an anti-ulama candidate is an ulama,” he pointed out.

Adding that it was simplistic to just declare a person an ulama or otherwise based on his or her dressing, Hadi observed that not everyone who wore a skullcap was an ulama.

Delegates 'chose wisely'

“Mohamad Sabu wears a skullcap and he is not an ulama,” he gestured to Mat Sabu who was sitting beside him.

“Rosli Yaakop wears turban and robes but he used to be somebody in Bank Negara,” he said.

Newly-elected vice president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah echoed his views as well and denied that the party’s current top leadership only consisted of the clergy faction.

"It’s not about whether you are an ulama or not. All (regardless of faction), are PAS leadership.

“And I believe the delegates have chosen wisely. If you look at the list, not all are Islamic educated, there is a mixed bag.

“The combination is still there, only that there are new faces,” he told reporters at the sidelines of PAS’ 61st muktamar today.

Hadi retained his post while Mohamad Sabu lost his post as deputy president, with his challenger, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man gaining a landslide win over him.

All three newly-elected vice presidents are from the ulama faction while only one "professional" central working committee member, Mazlan Aliman, was elected .

Seventeen others in the central working committee are from the ulama faction.

Require power at the federal level

Meanwhile, asked whether PAS’ plans to implement hudud would be easier now, Amar said to do so would require power at the federal level.

“If we really want to implement hudud, we need to gain power at the federal level.

“But yes, maybe the efforts will be more earnest than before,” he said.

Asked whether it would be harder for PAS to obtain support from the non-Muslims now, Amar believes that the policies of the party were more important.

“Our policy and approach are more important. It doesn’t matter who holds the post, if the policy is acceptable, then there’s no problem.

"In Kelantan, the late Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat was an ulama, but the non-Muslims still accepted him. So it (gaining the non-Muslims’ support) does not arise,” he said.

Meanwhile, commenting on the motion for PAS to terminate its working relationship with DAP, Amar denied that this meant that the Islamist party will stand on its own after this.

“We are not alone, we have PKR, we are still in Pakatan. The motion is on cutting ties with the DAP because they have announced that they will not cooperate with our president.

“Sarawak DAP has cut off ties with us, so it’s not a new thing,” he said.

DAP and PAS’ ties continue to sour and the ongoing muktamar is expected to shape the future of the opposition coalition.

The wiping out of the progressive faction is certainly not helpful as they had been the bridge between PAS and DAP.