Recent shake-ups in the Islamic opposition party should be seen positively and as the product of conscientious efforts by younger leaders to push for changes to build a more dynamic PAS, a senior party leader said.

The politician, a central working committee (CWC) member who requested anonymity, told malaysiakini that the rumored resignation of Kelantan exco member Husam Musa was in the context of these younger leaders seeking to assert their views for changes.

"The episode should be seen as a new breed of PAS leaders, some in their 40s, who are attempting to bring PAS and the Kelantan government to certain new standards of governance and to bring about a more systematic approach to government," said the PAS politician.

Singapore's Straits Times last Friday reported that Husam had tendered his resignation as state exco member in charge of finance over a dispute regarding a logging concession,

When contacted, Husam denied that there was ever an 'issue' to have caused him to tender his resignation as a state executive councillor.

According to other sources however, that dispute did occur and the resignation was submitted on Wednesday but has since been retracted.

Dismissing suggestions that PAS was entering a stage of leadership crisis, the CWC member said PAS members had always been vocal in their criticisms even against the top leadership.

Principles learned

"Younger leaders have always tried to apply the principles that they have learned from their elders in the party. They have always pushed for the application of Islamic-based principles of governance against the realities of the day," he said.

He admitted, however, that the issue of disputes over concessions approved by the Kelantan state government was not a new one.

There had always been some quarters that sought to secure contracts through by-passing or over-riding legal regulations and procedures by endearing themselves to the top leadership, he said.

It was this issue that younger leaders like Husam was protesting against and is currently an issue widely discussed among party members, said the CWC member.

Earlier last week, the party's organ Harakah saw its editor-in-chief Zulkifli Sulong replaced by former deputy editor of Malay daily Utusan Melayu Suhaimi Mokhtar, who is also aide to the party president.