KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — PAS Youth has acknowledged that Malaysia’s multi-ethnic society means non-Malays play a crucial role as kingmakers in certain parliamentary constituencies, a reality the party cannot ignore, according to Free Malaysia Today (FMT).
The wing’s chief, Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden, said the challenge for PAS was to convince the non-Muslim electorate that Islam-centric governance would respect and protect their rights.
“(We need to convince the non-Malays) that an Islam-centric leadership would not oppress, but protect (their rights), just as we defend (the rights of) Muslims,” he said while officiating the PAS Youth Muktamar (annual congress) in Alor Setar today, the news portal reported.
Afnan added that Islam commands its followers to treat non-Muslims fairly, a principle PAS Youth must uphold.
He pointed to examples from PAS-led states, including funding for vernacular schools and preservation of houses of worship.
“They (the non-Muslim community) live in peace and are safe. There is no racial discord or enmity,” he said, citing the same source.
He warned that “enemies of Islam” would seek to stoke fear among non-Muslims, falsely claiming that PAS rule would force headscarves on women or demolish houses of worship.
“To counter this propaganda, we must implement welfare initiatives for all races, hold dialogues, and visit communities during festive seasons,” Afnan said, according to FMT.
He stressed that the party sought not just votes, but trust.
“We want them to believe that their future under PAS will be peaceful, prosperous and fair.”
Afnan’s remarks echoed comments made by PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man at a previous party muktamar, in which he urged PAS Youth to focus on winning non-Malay support to strengthen the party’s chances of leading the federal government.
Tuan Ibrahim acknowledged the party’s weakness in non-Malay constituencies, particularly in the southern peninsula and in Sabah and Sarawak, and stressed the need for a “paradigm shift” in outreach strategies, according to FMT.
