YOURSAY | "Call sounds noble, but it clashes with the party's actual track record."

PAS must evolve from 'lebai' party to birthplace of statesmen: Ulama wing

FairMind: It's a pipe dream if PAS doesn't accommodate all Malaysians, including Sabah and Sarawak, in its political calculations.

It is exactly correct that the Ulama Wing chief’s admission that it is a "lebai party" because it caters to only one race and has a narrow political vision.

Presently, PAS is controlled by the old, conservative faction with limited intellectual capabilities who tried to prevent the more liberal and learned faction from advancing. It's unlike DAP.

BlueCougar1744: PAS can never win the hearts and minds of most Malaysians, including our brethren from Borneo. Yes, PAS may have grown to strengthen its religious politics, but this is never an inclusive party; they can never reform, let alone transform a state or nation.

PAS states and politicians have not proven their ability to manage or grow the economy, nor are they able to put forward substance for all Malaysians to re-look at the party with interest.

A party that is only meant for a single race and single faith is not only a stumbling block to building a unified nation, so how is PAS going to lead Malaysia?

Malaysia is a multiethnic and multifaith secular nation. It is rich in diversity. PAS can only sell those ignorant people on the idea that it is a passport to paradise. Change or be changed, ultimately. We are no longer living in the 1400s, as this is the 21st century.

The standard Islamic narratives are constantly being challenged by the apologetic Internet, which is borderless. Time to wake up to inclusivity and to embrace respect from other races and faiths if it wants to survive in the 21st century.

EmEmKay: The Ulama Wing’s call for PAS to evolve from a “lebai” party into a birthplace of statesmen sounds noble, but it clashes with the party’s actual track record, especially on economic stewardship.

For decades, PAS has not demonstrated strong business acumen or credible leadership in economic policy. A simple look at the states it governs makes this obvious.

Economic performance across the PAS-led states in Malaysia (Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu) remains mixed, generally lagging behind the national average in gross domestic product per capita and grappling with higher poverty rates.

Kelantan and Terengganu, in particular, still struggle with underdevelopment, limited high-value investment, and chronic dependence on federal transfers or resource rents, despite years under PAS rule.

Kedah is often pointed to as a success story, but even there the improvement is largely driven by its proximity to Penang and the spillover benefits from the Kulim industrial zone and the broader northern corridor ecosystem – not because PAS has suddenly become an economic powerhouse.

If PAS is serious about producing “statesmen”, it must move beyond religious sloganeering and moral posturing, and start delivering hard, measurable results in jobs, investment, industrial diversification, and poverty reduction.

Until that happens, the rhetoric about transforming into a party of statesmen will remain just that – rhetoric.

World Citizen: PAS a statesman party? Don't make people laugh. You guys need to be reborn for any possibility of that happening. For now, just live in your own cocoon while the rest of us have moved way past your mentality.

Cowards: Never say never. However, there is no conducive environment in the party, let alone the necessary organisational structure that nurtures it.

PAS has already failed in the development of decent assemblypersons and MPs.

While assemblypersons and MPs are not statesmen, they are the foundation where potential statesmen are trained.

Without capable assemblypersons and MPs, there is no chance of any statesman.

In fact, any capable, potential and aspiring statesman will rightly see the PAS brand of politics as toxic and a hindrance, not a stepping stone.

Can they change? Yes. I think they have the critical mass that a party leader can build into machinery that can produce a statesman.

They do need help, a lot of help. At present, throwing money in the form of hiring the correct consultants will help them get started and improve really quickly

However, merely talking about it, like PAS MP Ahmad Yahaya did, will not make this happen.

In fact, if Ahmad Yahaya was really serious, his statement would be accompanied by a plan which he would execute. He is in a position to do it. Sadly, he chose to only talk.

Kira orangbiasa: Pak Lebai, you keep talking about the Muslim unity agenda, the Malay-Muslim government and the political power of Muslims.

In Kelantan and Terengganu, the same Muslim party has been governing for decades. Please show what progress you have achieved. These states are still backwards.

All this Muslim unity agenda, Malay-Muslim government and political power of Muslims will come to nought if you cannot show multiracial Malaysians what your plan is for the economy, social development, technology, poverty and corruption eradication, standard of living, education, foreign investments and job creation.

OrangeCat19: PAS harping on identity politics based on race and religion will get us nowhere. In fact, it is totally regressive and damaging to the nation's multicultural and multifaith social fabric. Islam is a religion that gives respect to all other religions, as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad in his Medina treaty.

But these PAS leaders are using religion to instil fear and divide the nation, yet proclaiming how Islamic they are.

Can you trust a party whose members are losing defamation suits left and right because they resort to slander to put others down in the name of race and religion?

Hoyohoyo: Hello Ahmad. Statesmanship requires principles, vision and service. PAS focuses on political popularity and waiting for the next election cycle.

Your party has no principles. One moment Umno was kafir (infidel), the next moment it became halal. The four northern Malay states remain the poorest, without any social economic visions.

Your party was unable to improve their situation for decades. The only service provided is Malay and Muslim unity to manipulate the rural voters.

How to cultivate statesmanship when the “otak” (brains) are all frozen with race and religion?

GreenLlama4079: It is becoming increasingly evident that PAS is not a party for Malaysians. It is, and will always be, an Islam-first party that consistently enacts state laws which are in direct contradiction to the Federal Constitution.

A party which says it is for Malaysia but acts in direct opposition to the Constitution and disrespects the Rukun Negara is, in essence, a party that does not have Malaysian interests at heart.

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