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Tuesday, June 9, 2015

PAS’s Mujahid quits Penang posts, but pledges to carry on interfaith, unity work

Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa follows the footsteps of Mohamad Sabu in tendering his resignation for all posts in Penang after a motion to cut ties with DAP was passed in the PAS muktamar. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, June 8, 2015.Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa follows the footsteps of Mohamad Sabu in tendering his resignation for all posts in Penang after a motion to cut ties with DAP was passed in the PAS muktamar. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, June 8, 2015.

Penang PAS deputy commissioner Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa will follow the example of his colleague in the Islamist party,‎ Mohamad Sabu, and resign from all his posts in the state’s DAP-led government, out of respect for the Dewan Ulama's motion to cut ties with its Pakatan Rakyat ally.
He told The Malaysian Insider today that he will step down from his position on the boards of the Penang Islamic Foundation and Kolej Islam Teknologi Antarabangsa Pulau Pinang (Kitab).
However, Mujahid, who is well-known for his work in building bridges to bring Muslim and non-Muslim communities together, said he will continue his interfaith work.
Mujahid, along with Mohamad, was among the progressive leaders who lost in the party polls that was dominated by the ulama faction led by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
"Yes, I will resign from the board of director of Yayasan Islam and also from the board of a subsidiary of MAIPP that runs a college with immediate effect," said Mujahid.
He said his resignation was inevitable in respect of the motion.
"Regardless of how the motion is interpreted, it is only fair that all government posts appointed by party should be relinquished with immediate effect, even in Selangor.
"I am a man of honour, I honour the decision of the delegates," said Mujahid.
Previously, former PAS deputy president, Mohamad, had said he would resign from his positions as board member of Penang Water Cooperation chaired by chief minister Lim Guan Eng, and as a director of the Penang International Halal Hub, following the party's decision.
Mohamad, who is fondly known as Mat Sabu, also mocked his party's leadership and the motion to reject DAP, saying that PAS could surely survive alone.
PAS's motion was in response to DAP’s decision in March to cut ties with president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and for opposing hudud under the Kelantan Shariah Enactment.
The motion was adopted by the assembly during the muktamar, which ended last Saturday, without debate, a move that was heavily criticised by delegates.
Following that, Lim, who is DAP secretary-general, said he would readily accept the resignations of PAS representatives in the state government and its agencies.
Lim believed they would have "no choice but to resign" following the motion's approval as working under him would be untenable.
However, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali later said the motion, though adopted, was not a final decision, and the matter still had to be decided by the Shura council comprising cleric leaders, and the party's central committee.
Mujahid said his interfaith work would, in a sense, be easier without party restrictions.
On the other hand, the work would be harder with growing concerns over the rise of radicalism and extremism, and not because of his defeat in the party election.
"This is not just PAS. There are also other groups that believe that only through radicalism and extremism can they achieve their goals effectively," he said.
The son of former late PAS president and spiritual leader Yusof Rawa, Mujahid is known as the PAS leader who visited churches for dialogues with the Christian communities around the country to promote better understanding and tolerance between the faiths when tensions rose over the “Allah” controversy.
He said what the ulama faction had started two years ago to convince PAS delegates that they should be the ones leading the Islamist party had yielded the desired results.
"They had long ago started questioning PAS's relationship with DAP. But the issue was not just with DAP.
"It was more about influencing the delegates to support the ulama faction. Those who were vocal in criticising DAP were seen as purists who defended the PAS principles."
Those who were not against DAP were criticised for not defending PAS.
"It was a good tactic to stir up the sentiments of the delegates and invoke their sympathy," said Mujahid, adding that it was purely for politics and not some religious or spiritual awakening within the party.
"If it was a religious awakening, they would not have done what they did."
From now on, the Parit Buntar MP said, it would be tough for PAS to retain the support of non-Muslim voters as well as some Malay voters.
"At the last muktamar, PAS portrayed itself as a more exclusive party, when these are times for political parties to show that they are inclusive.
"The Chinese, Indians and even Malays to some extent may not like the direction PAS is going now."
- TMI

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