PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s idea of a political division of labour is basically a religious caste system, analyst Wong Chin Huat said.

The Penang Institute social and political analyst said the proposal, if PAS were to form the federal government, did not reflect Islam as “rahmatan lil alamin” (blessing to the universe), and as a civilisational basis for a religiously inclusive world.

“Instead, Islam becomes the theological basis of Muslim supremacy and discrimination against non-Muslims. Racism in the name of faith, if you like.

“Muslims are portrayed as the dominant caste with the exclusive right to make policy, and non-Muslims as the subordinate caste who may be incorporated as the executors,” he said.

Wong was commenting on Hadi’s proposed cabinet structure under a PAS government, where he said people of different faiths would have different roles. Muslims would be in a cabinet that made policy while non-Muslims would be appointed to another cabinet to carry out the policies.

Wong said Muslims must decide if Muslim supremacy was in line with true Islam.

“If Muslims are similarly marginalised as minorities, would Muslims not find it outrageous? If they would, they should expect non-Muslims to feel the same.”

Wong said a view like Hadi’s had its basis in the ancient world, where most states did not believe in religious freedom and Muslims often could only practice their faith under a Muslim power.

Law professor Azmi Sharom also touched on the discrimination inherent in Hadi’s proposal, saying it would create “a two-tiered community where one is superior to the other”.

“He is making a distinction in government based on faith. In a plural society, a person’s religion should not be a factor. Only his or her capability,” said the Universiti Malaya lecturer, adding that he agreed such a proposal would cause strife between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Politicians, meanwhile, said Hadi’s idea was out of line with Malaysia’s identity as a multicultural nation.

Former PAS leader Mujahid Yusof Rawa said Hadi had an “obsession” with the “Muslim versus non-Muslim framework”.

“Why (do we need to have) this Muslim, non-Muslim dichotomy in a nation dictated by democracy and merits, and not religion?

“His thinking of Muslim versus Non(-Muslims) is against the nature of this nation that is made up of equal citizenship and equal partnership.

“A cabinet is one of the branches of government, others being the judiciary and the legislative. Members of cabinet are (appointed) out of consensus between the parties in power.

“There is no demarcation line between implementing and making policies,” the Amanah vice-president said.

Mujahid said Malaysians who accepted Hadi’s ideas must understand they were putting the country at risk to a dogmatic and theocratic Muslim mentality.

“Malaysia has always worked hard to ensure the nation upholds democracy and equal citizenship rights based on justice and equality,” he added.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said a two-tiered cabinet segregated by religion went against the federal constitution.

“What he said – putting Muslims as bosses, and non-Muslims as the workers – is not relevant to Malaysians, namely non-Muslims. It is like imposing first- and second-class citizenship on the people,” said Lim, who is also Penang chief minister.

Hadi’s mindset

Wong of the Penang Institute said Hadi’s obsession to see the world as a zero-sum game between Muslims and non-Muslims had a long history.

“In his famous Amanat Hadi in 1981, he condemned BN for preserving ‘the colonial constitution, the infidel laws, the pre-Islamic law’.

“He basically denounced the Malaysian state as an illegitimate colonial imposition that needs to be replaced with the restoration of the imagined pre-colonial order based on shariah.

“His restorationist idea spread widely in the past three decades. So, one should not think that Hadi is indulging in his fantasy.”

PAS was once in alliance with DAP and PKR in the now defunct opposition bloc, Pakatan Rakyat, but broke off citing ideological differences. It is now with a third bloc of smaller parties called Gagasan Sejahtera and is expected to cause three-cornered fights in the 14th general election.

The party has grown more conservative under Hadi, who previously said that only Muslims could form the cabinet under a PAS government.

Constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari, however, said Hadi appeared to be doing damage control after offending non-Muslims with his proposal for a Muslim-only cabinet.

“I think it’s just damage control. His earlier statement that cabinet members can only be Muslims is planted deep in the minds of people, especially non-Muslims. His statement is just in line with his other statements where he has slammed DAP, and more.

Aziz said PAS had yet to prove its strength by winning enough seats in order to talk about forming the government and cabinet.

“When PAS was at its greatest height under (the late president) Fadzil Noor, the party only won 27 seats (in Parliament). Under Hadi, PAS has won fewer seats… down to 21 in 2013.

“So Hadi’s comment is untimely. They can’t even win and they want to talk about forming cabinets.” – February 4, 2018.