I FIND it terribly confusing about PAS’ exact ideological position on the Taliban in Afghanistan. On one hand, PAS supports the Taliban because it is an Islamic organisation.

But on the other hand, it wants to distance itself from the violence perpetrated by the terror group. How is this possible? Is that not considered hypocrisy by PAS, a party claiming to champion Islam?

How can you support an organisation that has been internationally labelled as terrorist group but yet say that violence cannot be condoned?

PAS can be likened to an eel; it wants to show its “fish looking-head” to the fish and its “snake-looking tail” to the snake.

The party might have a religious label to it but for all intents and purposes but in reality, it is a political party that depends on votes for survival just like any other political entity.

This is why PAS, which lacks political credibility, has to ride on the Taliban bandwagon!

In essence, PAS is neither here nor there. It is aimed at keeping the Muslim population in Malaysia in a state of confusion, hoping that it would be helpful to the party.

PAS has gone to town with Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan. While other Malay-Muslim parties are taking a cautious approach to it, PAS leaders went an extra mile to welcome its victory.

It was the PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s son, Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi (also the Batu Buruk state assemblyman) who declared that he was glad that the Taliban was able to end the “clutches of imperialism” in a tweet.

When he was taken to task for supporting a terrorist organisation, Khalil deleted his tweet. Speaks well for his consistency and bravery when facing criticism!

The Taliban’s victory in August last year has been used by PAS to gain maximum political mileage. Not to be outdone, PAS’ youth wing chief Khairul Nizam Khirudin said that if China could engage in negotiations with Taliban, why shouldn’t Malaysia take the effort in recognising the Afghanistan administration.

Bukit Aman exposed PAS’ ploy

A few months after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Hadi met with the Afghan UN representatives in the Middle-East. The objective was how Malaysia could play a role in addressing the deteriorating human rights and economic situation in the country.

And our Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah even defended Hadi on grounds that as a special envoy, the latter had a role in the Middle-East.

But Saifuddin missed the point that Afghanistan is not a Middle-Eastern country! Unless of course, there was change to give “special status” to Afghanistan as part of the Middle-East!

So, it is no surprise that the remarks by Bukit Aman’s counter-terrorism chief Normah Ishak had infuriated several PAS leaders.

She had said that PAS, by creating new narratives for the Taliban, was trying to endear the organisation to the Muslims or the “fans of terrorism” in the country.

And PAS got offended with Normah’s statement. Both the party information chief, Khairil Nizam and its spiritual adviser Hashim Jasin took umbrage to her remarks.

They argued that PAS’ support to the Taliban was on the basis of a religious or fraternal affiliation and had nothing to with violence or the persecution of women and minorities in the country.

Hashim was of the opinion that Normah’s remarks had cast negative aspersions on PAS.

We must understand that Taliban is a banned organisation at the international level. The fact that it has come to power by expelling the Americans has not drastically changed its status as terrorist outfit known for its persecution of women and minorities.

But PAS is desperate to link itself to the Taliban, purely based on political and electoral considerations. It is easy for PAS leaders to say that their affiliation with the Taliban is mainly from a religious point of view but no one can dismiss the fact that the Taliban are violent and barbaric.

So, is PAS prepared to acknowledge the fact that supporting the Taliban is as good as supporting violence? The onus is now on the “holier than thou” PAS leaders to explain it to the public. – April 10, 2022

Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the state assemblyperson for Perai. He is also deputy chief minister II of Penang.

https://focusmalaysia.my/pas-and-taliban-ties-the-islamist-party-leaders-are-behaving-like-an-eel/