PAS Ulama Council has power to determine party's position in Opposition coalition

PAS' Ulama Council has the power to decide whether the party stays in the opposition coalition or not if its suggestion to implement the hudud law in Kelantan continues to be opposed by its allies, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and DAP.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Political Science Department lecturer, Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff said this was because PAS' joining the opposition coalition had six conditions, including no opposition from any party to PAS continuing its agenda to make Malaysia an Islamic state.

He said the conditions were enshrined in the PAS' Ulama Council Secretary's Working Paper, and accepted by the Council on October 10, 2010.

"Other conditions include ensuring the position of the Muslims is not threatened and PAS can continue to implement Islamic laws."

Kamarul said based on history, in 2001, PAS left the opposition coalition which was then known as Barisan Alternatif (BA), and so it was not impossible this would happen again if DAP continued to oppose the implementation of Islamic laws.

He said PAS had to follow the Ulama Council's decision on the party's involvement in the opposition coalition.

The implementation of the hudud law in Kelantan was revived recently when the state government which is under PAS, through its parliamentary members plans to move a Private Member's Bill in the Dewan Rakyat in June to secure approval to implement hudud in the state.

However, DAP has opposed this saying the implementation of hudud laws were never a part of the agreement in the PAS-DAP-PKR coalition.