(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia’s Islamist party, which advocates strict Islamic laws, is wooing non-Muslims in a bid to form the next government in elections less than four years away.
Parti Islam Se-Malaysia changed its constitution last week to allow people from other religions to join as “associate members,” according to party officials. It’s a major concession for PAS, as it’s known, which won the most seats of any party in the last general election in 2022 but is part of the opposition bloc.
But questions remain over why members of Malaysia’s Chinese or Indian minorities would want to join a group that pushes a religious agenda. The party had in the past championed the formation of an Islamic state and draws support from the majority Malays who are Muslim by law.
“You’re not going to be forced to be Muslims,” said PAS lawmaker Halimah Ali in an interview on Saturday in central Pahang state where party members gathered for an annual congress and voted to change the constitution. “When you join PAS, you don’t have to be Malay, you don’t have to follow Malay culture. You can preserve your identity.”
With the new changes, anyone who follows a religion can join PAS but atheists will be excluded, according to PAS Secretary-General Takiyuddin Hassan. Associate members get the same voting rights as regular members but they can’t contest top leadership positions.
“We are now considered a multiracial party,” Takiyuddin said. “I think we have a better opportunity to represent Malaysians, not only Malays and Muslims.”
Green Wave
The changes in PAS may find little support from minority communities that are opposed to the party’s overly religious political agenda, according to Oh Ei Sun, principal adviser for Pacific Research Center of Malaysia.
“To truly win over non-Malay supporters, PAS needs to moderate its political stance to be inclusive,” he said.
Even as it opens up to non-Muslims, PAS is unwilling to compromise on its beliefs found in the Koran and the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, Halimah said. At the party meeting, a senior PAS official said the party was prepared to shut down Malaysia’s only casino if it wins control of Pahang.
PAS has often said it will enforce stricter rules for Muslims should it come to power, noting that the religion bans alcohol consumption and gambling. Shortly after winning all of the parliament seats in Terengganu state in 2022, it amended laws to punish Muslim women for out-of-wedlock pregnancies and donning men’s clothing.
After the 2022 election, alcohol and gaming stocks tumbled before recovering when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim formed a unity government made up of liberals, parties of minority races and regional groups.
As PAS gains more influence, Anwar has sought to burnish his own Islamic credentials. Last year his government canceled a concert after two members of British band The 1975 shared a same-sex kiss on stage and banned Swatch watches that showcase Pride colors. His government has made overtures to PAS to join his coalition — which were rebuffed.
The rise of the party, which controls four out of Malaysia’s 13 states, has been labeled a “green wave” of conservative Islam by its critics. Halimah said she rejects the characterization.
“They call us the green wave to create this fear among non-Malays, non-Muslims, especially the Chinese,” she said. “It is the people’s wave.”
--With assistance from Ram Anand.
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
