Hard for PAS to win over non-Muslims, analysts say

Widening of support to form govt seen as a tall order given its conservative stance

- Hazlin Hassan

Non-Muslims are concerned that their rights may be eroded should the Islamist party come to power, with PAS already banning lottery draws and restricting alcohol sales in the four northern states that it controls.

PAS’ penchant for calling non-Muslims “kafir” (infidels), often seen as an insult, has also engendered distrust towards it that has only grown with its ascent being labelled a “green wave” of conservative Islam, cementing the fear in the minds of non-Muslims and urban Malays.

PAS is the largest party in Parliament by seats, and leads the opposition bloc. Its 43 MPs swept to victory in Malay-Muslim majority wards in the November 2022 general election.

In concurrent state elections, its Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition snatched Perlis from Barisan Nasional (BN) by a landslide, bringing the number of states PN controls to four.

PAS also retained control of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah in legislative assembly polls in August 2023.

It is hoping to ride this momentum to form the federal government in the 16th general election due in 2027 – but knows it needs to win over ethnic Chinese and Indians, who make up about a third of the population.

To win federal power, a party or alliance of parties must secure at least 112 of the 222 seats in Parliament. 

In the 2022 election, PAS and its main ally Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia won 74 seats. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government has 147 – from his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, Umno-led BN, and coalitions from Sarawak and Sabah.

“PAS must win over non-Muslims in GE16,” its president Abdul Hadi Awang exhorted at the party’s annual congress on Oct 20. “In fact, we will continue to preserve freedom of religion and ensure justice, as enshrined under the federal Constitution.”

Non-Malays, however, are unconvinced.