IT MAY not seem like it, but PAS, intentionally or unintentionally, is at the peak of its political game. 

Make no mistake, behind the nonchalant ambivalence to power, is a lofty yet calculated strategy of playing second fiddle, while slowly, quietly, changing the music. 

Over the last two decades, PAS has changed its position on DAP multiple times, once both backstabbing friend and friendly foe to Umno, warm and cold to PKR, seasonally balancing its Malay nationalism with firebrand conservatism, occasionally tempering it with hugs and half-hearted assurances to non-Muslims, always corresponding to the amount of support they need for their next political move.  

This passive-aggressive tactic, while seemingly hypocritical to the urban Pakatan Harapan (PH) electorate, is less so with PAS’ Malay heartlands vote bank, who believe whatever the party does, is for the benefit of their supporters, the good of religion and the Malay race. Topics which PAS and its now-friend, Bersatu, excel in.

Unfettered by their lack of need to be sensitive to their less-than-significant ally, Gerakan, and unhinged by their need to return to power, these are issues that are emotive and lack the need for facts to be effective.  

Widespread and devastating damage to reputation can be done in hours, which takes months to fix, and can easily be corrected for “diplomatic” and “political correctness” purposes, with only a semi-sincere retraction. 

It is a game that PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) cannot afford to lose, but cannot hope to win, not with the current state of both parties. 

Malaysian politicians are known to be unable to disengage once drawn into an argument, but if PH and BN do not return to the mainstream conversation with common issues like the economy, international relations, cost of living, education and jobs, they will succumb to a threefold political risk. One of alienating their own support base, inability to play on their strengths, and providing fodder to their opposition to continually accost them, drawing away both their strategic political position and ability to build on a brand of result-oriented governance. 

Distractions in the form of political baiting should not be entertained, let alone allowed to dominate media headlines for weeks.

Over the past three weeks, for example, we saw discussions on the Overnight Policy Rate, record-low ringgit conversion, looming Asian economic problems and weather issues all being drowned out by a prolonged, irrelevant conversation over rainbow watches and a LGBT movement that isn’t very active in this part of the world. 

While dissent should not only be tolerated, but encouraged in the forms of constructive criticism and checks-and-balances, racism and bigoted views should not only be frowned upon, but if necessary, acted upon with the full strength of the law.

Freedom of speech should not include the freedom to slander or run down harmony in our country by provocations against any religious group. 

Pandering to this line of thought is especially illogical when state owned media initiates, perpetuates and needlessly elongates divisive issues that do not really add value to any side of the argument.  

Instead, the people want to know what each side is offering, and what efforts, if any, the government is making to alleviate the people’s problems and increase our livelihoods.

Ultimately, the economy matters most, affecting practically everyone, while polemics serve not much purpose other than riling up an audience. 

The problem is, after each long conservative conversation has ended, we shift a little more to the left, providing a primer for an even longer, emotive conversation the next time around.  

These are dangerous, divisive dialogues that we do not need, and that PH-BN are not good at. – May 31 2023.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.