PAS may be giving the impression of undergoing a rather sedentary phase. But there is definitely movement behind the scene.

And tomorrow, when the curtains are raised for the party's mukatamar (annual general assembly) in Alor Setar, Kedah, delegates will witness the effects.

Two key items on the agenda are expected to raise eyebrows.

1) To amend the party constitution in order to expand its ultimate decision-making body - the syura or consultative council.

2) To defer the biennial party elections - scheduled for next year - in anticipation of the 12th general election.

"We have been told that the (general) elections may be called early. We don't know how true this is but we do not want to be caught by surprise," party secretary-general Kamaruddin Jaafar told malaysiakini .

"This (to defer the party polls) is so that we can fully focus on the general election. In fact, a major part of the muktamar will discuss our preparation for the next general election," he said.

Contentious issue

However, the more contentious issue would be the expansion of the syura to include representatives from the Youth and Women (Muslimat) wings.

At present, only the ulama (Islamic scholars) sit on the council.

It is believed that the mandate given to the young professionals and 'pragmatists' in the last party elections has paved the way for this proposal.

While not ruling out heated debates on the issue, Kamaruddin said that securing support for the proposal will not be much of a problem.

"We think that it (the proposal) will receive good response as it would give more room for more people in the syura .

"Allowing representatives from the Youth and especially the Muslimat wings to have a say in the decision making process involving party policies will be a major progress," he added.

Many will agree that PAS needs more women leaders in the forefront to make the party more endearing to women, especially since its male leaders have attracted much criticism over their comments pertaining to issues such as misyiar marriages and divorcees .

"If women are in the syura council, they can take the likes of Abdul Fatah Harun (PAS Rantau Panjang MP) to task for making insensitive remarks about divorcees.

"The apology directive given by president Abdul Hadi Awang to him is not sufficient punishment," said a Muslimat leader who requested anonymity.

The amendment - if passed - could lead to more reforms, which supporters and sympathisers have been waiting for.

Unrealistic expectations

Kamaruddin said change will come but not as rapid as hoped.

"I think people are expecting quite unreasonable things for the party. The last party election brought new faces into the leadership but the overall composition remains the same. It's the same people holding different posts," he added.

He said to expect drastic changes will be "unrealistic".

"As I had said things will change. But this does not mean that we have not changed at all ... I think that we have changed, may be not much but then it's only been a year (since the party polls)," he noted.

A PAS member from Petaling Jaya, who declined to be named, expressed his anger with the party.

He said following its massive loss in the 2004 general election and almost losing control of Kelantan, the party has yet to address the bigger picture - which is to form an effective election mechanism to garner support from non-Muslims.

"There is a proposal to include non-Muslims into the party as associate members, as if PAS membership is a big deal!" he snapped.

"They don't care whether they are members or not. They only care about whether the party will take care of their welfare," said the party worker.

According to him, delegates should not waste their time debating on the proposal to include non-Muslims as associate members but instead focus on devising an effective strategy and formulate a clear economic policy.

He claimed that the party has not made any effort at all regarding this save for the occasional lip-service.

It's not easy

When his grouses were conveyed to Kamaruddin, the PAS leader disagreed. He said the party has been actively trying to woo non-Muslim supporters, especially among the Chinese.

"It is not an easy task for us. We have been sending out messages that we are inclusive and accommodating to non-Muslims.

"What we have been actively pursuing is the Kelab Penyokong PAS (PAS supporters club) which refers to non-Muslim activists in the party. We had meetings with them in several states and it has been receptive," he added.

He said it was difficult to attract Chinese support without provoking counter-attacks from its political adversaries.

"Each time we say something to show that we are accommodating, the Barisan Nasional factions will create confusion. They will make confusing statements by equating Islam to terrorism and project the Islamic state issue as offensive to non-Muslims," he added.

He said PAS preferred the "quiet approach" which included intensifying dialogues and discussions with the Chinese communiy.

Whatever the approach, one thing is obvious - PAS is groping in the dark for directions to return the party to its former glory.

Time is running out and it must act fast or risk being reduced to another fringe party in the Malaysian political landscape.