Asri: PAS needs new political framework

PAS needs a new political framework where all of its leaders can be accepted by voters, Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has said.The former Perlis mufti said the Islamist party needed to think beyond governing a state if it was serious in taking over federal power. He cautioned PAS leaders against getting involved in issues which can be resolved internally.

“PAS needs a new political framework, PAS needs a bigger framework… Malaysia’s framework is not Kelantan.

“Umno is not the standard for PAS to make comparisons, PAS needs to be at a higher place,” he said at a PAS forum here last night.

PAS celebrates its 60th anniversary today.

Asri stressed that the party needed to groom leaders which could be accepted by all layers of society if it wanted to remain relevant politically.

“PAS needs to create or groom a leader who is acceptable by not just by the party but also by those outside PAS; if we look there are 60 per cent of voters who are undecided on who to vote for.

“PAS needs a leader like Burhanuddin al-Helmy… great, everyone knows him, some even say he was worthy to become prime minister,” he said.

The late Burhanuddin was the founder of PKMM (Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya).

Asri lauded PAS’s efforts in defending Islam, saying that these efforts must continue.

He advised PAS and other Pakatan Rakyat parties to avoid talking about political ideas in public before prior discussion internally.