I do NOT QUALIFY to call myself a religious man, but I do think I have a religious sense of commitment to things I believe in. Some two years ago, I felt the slogan 'Pas For All' had a relevance to Malaysian politics that transcended the apparent opportunism of that phrase. How can a party whose membership is composed of Muslims only, be "for all" Malaysians.
But upon meeting, working alongside with and thus appraising some of the Pas leaders, like Nik Aziz, Mat Sabu, Dr Dzul, Khalid Samad, Mahfuz Omar, Husam Musa, Salahuddin, Nizar and Dr Hatta, I felt that the slogan was inspirational politics, not rank opportunism.
Why? I have never come across a better definition of faith than St Paul's. In one of his epistles he describes faith as the "substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
If you conclude that many things in this country are in a rotten state and you see the earnestness and integrity of the people named above in wanting to change things, you have before you the "substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Our dreams of a restoration of our country to the promises of the Merdeka proclamation, of which the main Piped Piper is Anwar Ibrahim, cannot be realized if we do not enlist the help of people like the leaders of Pas named above.
Therefore when they say 'Pas For All" and when their party puts people like them at its helm, I say my faith in the "substance of things hoped for" -- an egalitarian Malaysia -- and in "the evidence of things unseen" -- a Malaysia where fervent Muslims and non-Muslims join hands in making this country a cynosure among multicultural nations -- is hugely justified.
Lest I rhapsodize too much, let me stop here and imbibe this moment a little more deeply because I have some difficulty believing that my faith has brought me this far. You see how difficult this thing called 'FAITH' is?
It would be appropriate to go to Mass on Tuesday to offer thanks. You see, I do not DO Sundays because I HAVE TO. I go because I NEED to.
23 comments:
Uncle Zorro,
I agree that PAS is for ALL.
Uncle,
All the persons that you mentioned here I have one phrase to describe them..
They are the Malays' Malays.
They represents the Malays I grew up and play with.
The just concluded PAS party election is definitely a Victory for the Malays and All Malaysians.
I believe in anything party that can bring down Umno. I don't believe in barking LKS who will support anyone and everyone to keep his son as C.M. of Penang and lusty and lying Anwar who is trying every trick to keep postponing his sodomy trial. He must think the people are all fools, just like when he said he was taking over the government.
You can fool the people once but not any more and stop giving your wife and daunter any more stress. Just go on with the trail and if you have to go to jail so be it. It is no big loss and we surely will not want a lusty leader like you.
Go, Go and Go PAS and make sure you kick the corrupted Umno morons out of their gravy train and most of all make sure the grand son of the untouchable pariah from Kerala and his descendants are indicted.
Dear zorro,
I too have met the men of PAS you mentioned in our many involvement in our quest for 'change' and the stark difference between these men and the goons in BN who spew venom and speak rubbish daily as representatives of the rakyat is that the men of PAS are more connected to the frustrations of the common people and strive to put their personal egos aside (not that they are) and work with everyone (regardless of color, race and religion) for the betterment of our living quality. They speak and promise less and have matured better. And never once do they remind you of your ethnic background but to treat you as an equal Malaysian !
I am like you bro...I only go to Mass when I need to but not have to.
Very sweet sentiments, Zorro, and spot on! There are millions of us who feel just like you about PAS. I don't wish to see Ayatollahs impose theocratic rule in Malaysia - that's why I cannot endorse the leadership of men like Hasan Ali and Nasharuddin Mat Ali (one look at their faces and you can tell they are wannabe Inquisitors with only a skin-deep grasp of their own religious indoctrination; what they relish, ultimately, is secular power). However, Mat Sabu is a streetwise freedom fighter whose heart will always be with the rakyat; Salahuddin Ayub and Mahfuz Omar I have met and instantly liked (I trust my instincts); Husam Musa has an aura of integrity and a great deal of charisma, promising a greater political destiny than might be evident now; and as for Hadi Awang, having heard him speak at a ceramah, I would say he is essentially a good man, torn between a narrower and broader perspective (his narrower perspective comes from his ulama background and his broader perspective is influenced by his respect and admiration for Anwar).
Dear Bro. Zorro,
First time into your blog, and now one in the list in my blog because of the interesting reading found in your blog.
Totally agree with what you have said and that's the main reason I am responding by giving this comment.
For so long we have been waiting for this kind line up in PAS, though perhaps can be better if one or two who actually have shown their leadership and have the support of all Malaysians were elected in the party, more so if TGNA were the President.
Anyway, I just read the posting put up by 'penarik beca' who said 'don't play god ustaz'. Perhaps 'penarik beca' refers it to someone else but for me I like the phrase because it has a deep meaning and I think I like put it as a reminder for PAS new leadership and its members to act in a way that not to be seen as 'mendahului Tuhan' so that the party can, gain huge support from all Malaysians not just the Malays or PAS members and supporters and to take it as an important and significant initial path to open up the road to Putrajaya. May God bless all of us.
I stayed in Kelantan, am a localised Malaysian of the Chinese descent, and all my siblings, children, nieces and nephews,etc. are " PAS dulu, lor ni (or kini) dan sokmosokmonya (or,selamalamanya)!!" Seeing and tasting as how the PAS Kelantan government have been treating us so fairly for the past 20 over years since they took over the state from BN in 1990. Don't believe a word or the venom spewed about PAS in the Federal-controlled msm. Nay, not a word must you believe!
100% agree with you about PAS Unker B, I'm looking forward to the day when these decent people become state chief ministers and cabinet members.
Dear bro. Zorro,
I just heard from a state level politician regarding PAS government in Kedah who has 'made' the non-Malays in Kedah frustrated and plan to return back to the previous regime. But he praises the way the PAS government rules in Kelantan and ruled in Perak before it was robbed. I think it's related to the people who head these governments and headed in Perak. Surely TGNA and Dato' Seri Nizar are well like by the non-Malays of the way they rules or ruled their states which were not seen to side-lined them but not so in Kedah which may be worst than the previous regime.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons why many non-Malays have high hope to the present line up of leaders in PAS.
PAS untuk semua. UMNO untuk UMNOputra, Perkasa, bigots sahaja. I fully support this PAS lineup despite being a freethinker.
Shalom
"To know them is to love them"
I am Chinese, I speak for the majority in the Chinese community who share my sentiment!!
PAS we shall follow the rainbow till our dream (kick the UMNO dickheads out of Putrajaya) comes true....
Hope the day will come when RACISM ,INJUSTICE & CORRUPTION will be buried for good when PAS & Pakatan rules Malaysia.
Any party that advocate the end of ISA, end of Racism and end of Corruption deserves the support of all the Rakyat.
PAS has been vocal in all these areas.
We must put a STOP to deaths in Polis custody,and end of the misuse of Judicary powers ,end of freeing corrupt and even murderous crooks and end to the racist politics and corruption of deceitful men like Mamak MahaTHIEF & the rest -they & we know who they are !
PAS & Pakatan deserve all our support and make sure we all turn up for the BERSIH rally for the sake of the Nation & for the sake of our Children's future.
PAS rule of Kelantan is proof and acceptance of them by the non Malays. What more can you and do you expect ? The non Malays living in Kelantan is a real testimony of what they are, During the May 13th incident in 1969 there is no racial incidents there when Umno controlled Selangor and arsons everywhere, why ?
Zorro !
Yes ! The PAS lineup gives umno sleepless nights.
Get ready PR to march into Putrajaya.
HAVE NO DOUBTS.
Hip Hip Horray!
When one read all those comments from the many blogs in the net, from those who are looking for the day when PR realise it desires to rule the country, at a certain time I was wondering whether all the nicy-juicy dreams will come true! Will the people of all the different background come together to celebrate the justice they thought has been restored or will they start to fight among them to demand the justice for their own kind which they strongly believe have been denied under the previous regime. Perhaps the majority group will demand most of it since they are the majority and use the notion they have been deprived all this while, thus thinking they have the right to take the most, at least 60% of all. Another group will also demand their fair shares using the notion that under the previous regime they were not treated fairly and been deprived of the worthiness based on merit etc. Another group thought they were marginalised all this while for so long and been ridiculed so harshly, thus have the right to ask for what suppose to be their shares. How the new regime in future try to tackle all these issues. Now everyone has the common enemy to fight on and thus forget the real issues which they have to confront once they are in power. From the comments of all those people in the many blogs, I am quite sceptical about the future of the new regime if they can't control the situation. Some of these people seem to be more extreme than the people of the present regime whom many of us blamed for the situation of the country at present. Can a real Malaysia be achieved when the new regime comes to power? Can the people be more united and not looking at the skin when a program is carried out? I wonder!
Dear Uncle Zorro
I woke up this morning feeling sunny - recently concluded PAS Muktamar clearly shows PAS delegates have proved their political maturity. If PAS can do that, why cant we?
Reading this post just brought tears to my eyes, Uncle Zorro. Thank you for making my day even sunnier.
Always great to see another Malaysian doing his bit for a better Malaysia. Only a tiny request- for better health, best not to be seen enjoying inhaling tobacco smoke- we should all try to discourage smoking, especially with the young.
all malaysians who support integrity n a brighter future for malaysians must support change in the coming GE 13, this is the mother of all GE n malaysia is at acrossroad n a wrong turn could mean - no return, support justice n a clean n righteous party
The election of Mat Sabu and his reformed leaning colleagues to PAS top leadership is a welcome move in the run-up to GE13.
zorro, your spelling sucks but your message got through..
PAS Untuk Semua, not Semmua, okay?
PUKE....Oppsssss, spelling sucks again....sorry DUKE.
Bro Zorro,
Wrong in spelling is just a small matter, not a big fuss, any one also experienced it at least once. Mine? plenty, just look at my comments and some grammar too.. But the imporatant thing is message got through, am I right bro?
Look at the way our youngsters writing nowdays, whether in Malay or English, I believe to other languages also, 70% I can't read what they have written... so are we going to complain about their spelling....
Post a Comment