After the decision of the ROS not to recognize the leadership of DAP, the current slate of candidates already announced by DAP, will run under the PAS logo in West Malaysia, and under the PKR logo in East Malaysia.
****Update: the night before Nomination Day, the ROS issued a letter to DAP stating that it has no objection to DAP using its Rocket logo. Hence, all DAP candidates will be contesting under the Rocket logo.
Since that announcement, some Gerakan and MCA members are out propagating the unfounded fear that a vote for the DAP candidates in West Malaysia equates to a vote for PAS, and will result in a PAS nation.
But is there anything so fearful and scary about PAS?
PAS is a strictly Islamic party that scares off non Muslims?
Firstly, PAS has demonstrated it is not a mono-ethnic party by fielding non Malay candidates as well as garnering strong support from Malaysians from all segments due to its high reputation for being a clean party. I had in fact highlighted this in a previous blogpost.
Secondly, the fact that with PAS leaders such as Nik Aziz, Hadi Awang, and Mustafa Ali agreeing to let DAP’s slate of candidates (which includes Chinese and Malays) contest under their banner shows that PAS is in fact a multiracial and multicultural party for all Malaysians!
The campaign theme song of PAS (see clip below) in this general elections shows its commitment to be a party for all Malaysians regardless of race, language, or religion!
Thirdly, many Malaysians see nothing wrong in having a PAS leadership. This is best shown in the state of Kelantan where PAS has been the government for decades, under the leadership of Nik Aziz. There have been many wonderful examples, which over the years, solidify and increase the support for PAS.
In Kelantan, there is the freedom to worship, and religious buildings of many different religions can be seen setting up.
In Kelantan, non Muslims are free to set up stores and sell pork to their own community.
In Kelantan, the state government is well known for being clean and incorruptible.
In Kelantan, there is no implementation of the hudud, which is a very common “fear” card and tactic employed by the BN.
All these attributes actually led to the formation of a PAS Supporters’ Club by non PAS members from the Chinese community to support and assist the party. A milestone in this election is when PAS fields candidates from the club, and members of the club will be supporting the party in full force.
The inclusion of DAP candidates under the PAS banner only reinforces the points raised in my earlier blogpost that a vote for any component parties of PR, is actually a vote for a true multiracial and multicultural coalition government which will serve all Malaysians well, regardless of race, language or religion!
Isn’t a vote for PR component parties what most Malaysians want for Ubah, Reformasi and Harapan?
Insight of me 