PasMa only a ‘PASAR MALAR' while Pas is a supermarket - Husam

BATU PAHAT - PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa deflected claims that he was the mastermind behind a critical pressure group increasingly viewed as a potential splinter from the Islamist party, belittling the movement as trivial.

Husam said he was not interested to head a group as inconsequential as the Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa), given that he was already in the top leadership of a party like PAS.

“PasMa is a night market, and PAS is a supermarket.

“I am already in PAS. Why would you want to offer me to be a president of a ‘night market’?” said Husam during a rally attended by over 1,000 PAS supporters here.

Husam also advised party members and his critics to check their facts before accusing him of involvement with the group.

“We have to act justly, [even] to our enemies,” added the Salor assemblyman.

PasMa was formed by PAS members as a watchdog to ensure that the Islamist party retains its position in Pakatan Rakyat, and does not form any agreement or unity government with ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.

It was extensively reported earlier by the Malay media that a long list of leaders from PAS’s so-called “liberal” faction have signed up as PasMa office bearers, including Husam, Dr Hatta Ramli, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Khalid Samad, among others.

However, the group has named Kedah PAS deputy commissioner and Pengkalan Kundor assemblyman Datuk Ir Phahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi as its president, and PAS Pasir Puteh MP Muhammad Husin as deputy president.

Phahrolrazi has since denied the reports, claiming that the publicised list was different from the one in his hands.

On Sunday, PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar clarified that PasMa was not formed by the party and is unaffiliated.

Party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali also denied reports that PasMa is a potential splinter party that was set up to challenge the Ulama wing aligned to president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

The senior PAS leader said it is commonplace for PAS leaders to form or be part of NGOs outside of the party’s ambit, and stressed that PasMa in no way signifies a split.

The issue was also raised during the party’s annual congress or muktamar this week, as delegates warned of PasMa being a “party within a party”. -Malay Mail