Ramasamy mocks PAS' approach to Muslim entrepreneurial empowerment

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy (above) has taken a sarcastic dig at PAS' brand of economics, saying its call to boycott non-Muslim products is a "funny" approach to Muslim entrepreneurial empowerment.

He said "PASonomics," or the party's funny economics through a kind of protection or autarky by boycotting non-Muslim products, will defy conventional neo-classical ones.

"PAS’ economics of Muslim-only development or a form of autarky will test the axioms of conventional economics that even Karl Marx failed to do so," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini.

"French economist and philosopher Maxine Rodinson, who argued about the compatibility of Islam and capitalism, might wake up from his grave upon realising that he missed something in his analysis," he added, tongue in cheek.

"Does PAS want an alternative to the present economic system or just wants Muslims to stop buying non-Muslim products, mainly from the Chinese?" Ramasamy queried.

Calls for the boycott came amid the learning of khat for Standard Four pupils, which was vehemently rejected by Chinese educationists, who viewed the move as a "subtle Islamisation" process on non-Muslims.

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Read more: Kiniguide - A closer look at the boycott against non-Muslim products and businesses

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Though there were accusations that Umno and PAS were behind the call, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri had denied his party's involvement in the boycott.

PAS delved into the issue when former Selangor PAS deputy ulama chief Ahmad Dusuki Abdul Rani (above) supported the boycott.

However, the PAS leadership preferred to support the "Muslim first" campaign, which they claimed was "inclusive" and not racist.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan had said that the campaign to buy Muslim-made products first is "an inclusive and competitive move in business and should be seen in a positive light".

Yesterday, the Prime Minister's Office declared that the Cabinet rejected the boycott, describing it as “narrow thinking and stand based on racial sentiments” by certain quarters, which could jeopardise national harmony and welfare.

“The rakyat is, instead, called on to support the buy Malaysian-made products campaign, as this can benefit the country,” read the statement from Putrajaya.

Meanwhile, Ramasamy thanked PAS for providing "comic relief and amusement," despite its seriousness in tackling the “poor plight” of Muslims. 

On his Facebook post yesterday, he claimed it is not that PAS really believes there is merit in buying only Muslim products. 

"If PAS is really serious about this new economic strategy, I wonder why it was not implemented in the state of Kelantan, a state that has long suffered economic deprivation under PAS political administration?   

"Buying non-Muslims products by Muslims essentially means, in the words of PAS, condoning a system of transaction that is not only exploitative but not in accordance with Islamic principles (halal)," Ramasamy said.