No syura council in Gerakan Harapan Baru
The soon to be established new Islamist party will not emulate the organisational structure of PAS.
Gerakan Harapan Baru committee member Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the new party would not have the syura council, for example, which is the highest decision-making body after the muktamar (annual general meeting).
“We do not want two sources of powers in the party, where there is the syura council as well as the executive power.
“Let the committee and leadership determine the new party’s way forward,” he said in an interview with Malaysiakini .
GHB was formed by several senior leaders from the party's progressive faction, who were defeated in the recent party elections.
The movement, therefore, has in mind, to form a panel of advisers, who will not only provide advice on religious matters, but current affairs as well.
“Even though the panel member has religious knowledge, he or she must know about the economy as well, for example. This is what we are trying to put forth,” he said, however adding that nothing has been finalised yet.
As for the various wings in the new party, the Parit Buntar MP said this, too, has yet to be decided upon.
“We have yet to finalise this, but I think any organisation can form any wing in a party. What’s important is that the wing will assist the party and the leadership.
“There will be a difference (with PAS). The difference is the philosophies which we fight for,” he said.
No rejection on ulama
The Harapan Baru Penang chairperson also refuted claims that the new party would reject the ulama (religious scholars), claiming that the ulama would still be involved.
However, he stressed that there would not be a barrier between the group and the professionals.
This is to prevent a crisis, such as the one PAS is facing now, from re-occurring.
“We are open to all as long as they are confident with the way of the movement. There shouldn’t be a dichotomy between the ulama and the non-ulama otherwise the PAS internal conflict will re-occur,” he said.
To prove that the movement is serious in including the ulama, a conference to discuss the concept of syariah (Islamic laws) in Malaysia’s context, will be held, said Mujahid.
The conference, to be held on August 15, will be attended by representatives from a political party in Tunisia who will share their views on the implementation of the principles of syariah for a particular country.
Meanwhile, Mujahid said the movement will not target PAS members in obtaining new members for the party.
‘Our focus will be on NGOs and the civil society. That’s why Harapan Baru has grown rapidly.
“We will not force PAS members to join Harapan Baru. If they want to join us, we will ask them to think long and hard about it.
“(But) we are not trying to minimise our target group, our mission is actually wide,” he said.
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