The PAS Ulama wing has now shown former party vice-president Husam Musa the door after he openly criticised PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for wanting to form a unity government in Selangor with Umno.

Speculation has been rife that Husam's days in PAS are numbered, even though the Salor assemblyperson has insisted he remains loyal to the party.

If Husam is eventually forced to leave the party, how would the departure affect the PAS hierarchy?

Political analysts are split on whether the exit of Husam - a protege of the late PAS icon Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat - would work for the benefit or detriment of the party.

Political observer Ahmad Atory Hussain believes ‘radicals’ like Husam are needed in every political party, including PAS, to ensure they remain relevant.

Atory, a former Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer, said if all those who are vocal are made to leave the party, then PAS would only be seen to be dominated by one group.

"PAS would the be left only with religious scholars who are conservative.

"For some, it is good to have people who are aggressive (in expressing their views), as this is important to get new ideas.

"But it appears that PAS is not keen on new ideas," Atory told Malaysiakini .

Last of the progressives

Already, several of the party's progressive leaders have left PAS to form its splinter, Parti Amanah Negara.

Atory said those who had tried to make PAS relevant to the times were seen as rebels and the analyst drew parallels to the situation faced by Umno before.

"The concern is that with this trend, it (PAS) will become like the Arab nations, where those who are smart run away.

"Those left in the Arab nations to rule are the 'Pak Lebai '," he said, adding that there was a tendency for parties in Malaysia to favour ‘yes men’.

However, political analyst Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmood shared a different view, believing Husam should indeed leave PAS if he was no longer on the same page with the party.

Nik Ahmad, who leads the National Professors' Council's governance, law and public administration cluster, said it was inappropriate for Husam to openly sully PAS' image.

"If he continues like this (openly criticising PAS), it will create long-term problems and hurt the party.

"If he wants to remain in PAS, there are better mechanisms (to voice) so as not to create a big issue," Nik Ahmad said.

'Criticise in private'

The International Islamic Universiti Malaysia lecturer said Husam's criticisms have made PAS appear as if the Islamist party is in disarray.

He added that criticism is not wrong, but if it creates tension then the person involved should not remain in the party.

Husam is among the few pro-reform leaders who have remained in PAS after a post-muktamar exodus to Amanah, led by former PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu.

Husam had started off as an officer for Nik Abdul Nik Aziz before eventually rising through the ranks to become a Kelantan exco member.

He is best known for his role in pushing for Kelantan's oil royalty payments from the federal government.

Following Nik Abdul Aziz's retirement in 2013 and subsequent death in 2015, Husam was dropped from the state government and sidelined by the conservative faction.

He has been highly critical of the Kelantan government under the leadership of Ahmad Yaakob, including for its handling of logging contracts.

Husam is expected to announce his position in PAS at a dialogue in Kota Bharu tonight.

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