The on-going open debate among PAS members on the botched investments in Koperasi Al-Hilal or Kohilal - a co-operative society closely linked to the party - has caused much discomfort to certain factions in the party leadership as the party polls near.

Although the issue is an old one, it has never been openly discussed among members in the past and some leaders feared that the current debate may cost them their positions.

"Before this, the issue could be set aside easily during a party election year. But now, the election is only three months away (June) and the subject is still hot among members. It is possible that the issue may affect the current leadership line-up," a source close to the top leadership said.

"It happens that the issue cropped up at the wrong time with party elections around the corner. Some leaders have alleged conspiracies to damage the reputation of certain leaders. I don't know if members would buy this because I'm not convinced," the source added.

The Kohilal issue is so sensitive that even the committee, set up by the party to investigate into members' grouses on the cooperative, had refused to make any statement on its findings.

PAS vice-president Azizan Abdul Razak, who heads the committee, appeared uneasy when asked on the report he had submitted to the central working committee last Sunday.

"Why do you still keep on harping on the issue? Aren't you tired? You have damaged people's reputation. I don't have to answer your questions. You don't have the license to make people answer you," he retorted when contacted.

Up to Hadi Awang

A party leader revealed that the committee has decided not to openly discuss the matter and that it has given party president Abdul Hadi Awang the responsibility to make the relevant announcement.

"The committee only wants to investigate. Whatever public statements on Kohilal will be made by the president. So far, they have only submitted the report Kohilal had given them," said the leader from Kelantan.

PAS central working committee member Dr Rosli Yaakob who is also Negri Sembilan commissioner believed that those who complained about Kohilal are not out for financial gain but to weed out any wrongdoing.

"Members are not interested in Kohilal money. I don't think the loss of money has shaken their support in PAS. But they are concerned about wrongdoing - whether there were elements of cheating or fraud that had led to the losses," he said.

"If there were wrongdoings, we must come to terms with it and handle it properly...more so since PAS is a political party based on the principles of Islam."

Rosli also said that party members and supporters are concerned that the party's image would be affected if the matter is not dealt with properly.

"We do not want to give opportunities to our opponents. They would be quick to exploit our weaknesses", he added

The alleged mismanagement of Kohilal has been haunting party meetings and it is expected to be raised at the party's coming general assembly or muktamar scheduled on June 1-5.

The dissatisfaction of members led to the mass resignation of Kohilal's directors chaired by Senator Hassan Shukri, now PAS deputy president, in June 2002. He had been at the helm of the co-operative society since 1996.

The ulama faction

Meanwhile there are claims among members that it is the ulama (religious scholars) group who are most reluctant to discuss the issue.

"They are desperate to tone it down. After all, the name that keeps cropping up in the controversy is Hassan who is an ulama. And the pro-ulama faction is angry that members are openly questioning the credibility of an ulama," said a Kuala Lumpur-based politician.

He also claimed the Kohilal issue has got into the way of the ulama faction's plan to regain its strength in the central working committee. In the last party elections, more professionals were elected into the central working committee

A politician from Petaling Jaya said that the on-going debate on the alleged mismanagement within Kohilal has created doubt in the competency of certain leaders, including Hassan.

"There are those who believe that Hassan should not be blamed for the decisions made by his then subordinates in Kohilal which had caused millions of ringgit losses. But the detractors responded by saying that Hassan is incompetent and thus not fit to hold the No 2 spot in the party," he said.

But a party worker from Kuala Lumpur believed that Hassan will not be defeated by the on-going efforts to discredit him.

"He has done nothing wrong. So far his reputation as an ulamak is still intact. And he knows that he can rely on the members' blind loyalty towards ulama. Mark my work, he would walk away from the party election unscathed."

In a separate development, Kohilal executive director Md Shulor Aziz revealed that the Cooperative Development Department ( JPK) and the Securities Commission have confirmed that their respective investigations into the failed investments and collection of fund have been finalised.

"Now we anxiously waiting for the results of the investigations," said Md Shukor when contacted.

One thing for certain is that Kohilal members are not the only one anxiously waiting for the outcome of the investigations as the results could make or break future leaders of the party.