NOT only was it a smart move, it was brilliant! A masterstroke by an Islamic-based political party which, for once, wants nothing to do with a hotly debated Islamic issue dominated by another party.
And this is what PAS has decided. The party has declared that it has nothing to do with the boycott against KK Mart. This was most unexpected.
On March 31, two long weeks after the sock controversy first erupted, PAS Ulama Wing leader Ahmad Yahaya declared that his party was not involved in any way with the boycott.
He did not rule out the possibility of an unseen hand in the KK Mart issue and urged the authorities to act swiftly against those out to create tension and conflict between races and religions in the country.
Even those who have no love for PAS, this time have to concede that the Islamic party was smart enough to strategise correctly and stay clear of the Umno Youth-initiated boycott of the convenience store.
PAS knew there was a public backlash against the boycott. When more and more Malay/Muslim groups ticked off Umno Youth leader Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh for his arrogance and stubbornness and wanted the boycott against the popular convenience store to end, PAS then decided to stay away. The party made sure that its intention was publicly announced and made known to all.
Ever wonder why PAS took two weeks into the raging socks controversy before making its stand known publicly? This is about political strategy, folks.
No, PAS is not a party with just an Islamic face; it is a political party first and foremost and knows about political strategising for maximum political capital or interests.
Any politician will agree that strategy is crucial in political manoeuvres. It involves planning and executing actions to achieve specific goals while navigating the complexities of the political landscape.
PAS’ specific goals are known to all. It is firstly, the defender of Islam in the country; other Malay-based political parties are only pretenders. At least, this is how PAS wants the others to be perceived.
In crafting effective strategies, it is important to analyse the political environment, including the interests of various stakeholders, public opinion, legal frameworks and potential obstacles.
In the KK Mart issue, PAS was right to lean on the side of public opinion. After the firebombing incidents at three KK Mart outlets in Bidor, Kuantan and Kuching, it became clear that public perception of the boycott had turned very negative.
By and large, Malaysians are generally peace-loving people and vehemently abhor acts of violence. Indeed, a society built on the rule of law cannot tolerate violence. I guess this is something imbued in most Malaysians.
We are aware that violence disrupts social harmony and cohesion. It breeds fear, distrust and division among communities, hindering cooperation and mutual understanding.
The photo of Akmal in his Facebook post showing him wielding a traditional Japanese sword was further frowned upon by the public. It is yet another attempt at showing might via violence; how else would you depict a sword-wielding man?
Worse, the Umno politician also added this caption “No matter what, we will not waver from our stance. Better to die standing than live kneeling” below the photo in his FB post. The implication is clear, and so too are the consequences of posting such a damaging photo.
On this matter, I support MCA’s Senator Ti Lian Ker’s call for an investigation to be carried out against Akmal for his allegedly seditious post.
I also concur with Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah that the police must arrest Akmal for inciting racial and religious tensions over the socks controversy.
Karim stressed that racial and religious provocations must be avoided in multi-ethnic Malaysia.
“You can be the (Umno) Youth chief but you cannot incite this way, asking people to boycott this and boycott that. It is not very good to play up on racial sentiments,” he said.
I think Akmal should also be banned from entering Sarawak for some time. I consider the Umno Youth chief a “dangerous” man now that he would listen to no one, not even the king or the prime minister when they have advised him to stand down.
On this, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reminded all quarters, especially political leaders, not to use religion as a tool to achieve political goals.
On this sock-gate issue, PAS has stood tall and rightly too. It is one of the rare occasions when the party has refrained from using a sensitive religious issue as a tool to gain political capital.
One up for PAS!
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
