The Malaysian Insight

As the 14th general election approaches, The Malaysian Insight looks at new and young politicians who are being groomed by their parties to stand as candidates. One of the biggest grouses among the electorate is the lack of young leaders as the heads of political parties, even in the opposition, are those who have been in politics since the 1980s. Where are the young to take Malaysia forward? The Malaysian Insight speaks to the son of a late PAS luminary.

HE is the son of the late PAS president Fadzil Noor, but Faiz Fadzil wants to chart his own political path.

The 40-year-old lawyer said when his father was alive and led the Islamist opposition party from 1989 to 2002, he never allowed his children to hold any party post.

“From the beginning, I have never used my father’s name (in work or in politics). I was taught to be independent, although people can’t forget my father’s legacy.

“It does have some impact on my image and my political career,” Faiz told The Malaysian Insight.

Faiz left PAS and joined Amanah, a PAS splinter party launched on September 16, 2015. Like him, most members came from the progressive faction of the Islamist party who were dropped in its annual assembly a few months earlier.

The split that created Amanah came after PAS had already cut ties with opposition allies DAP and PKR over ideological differences and PAS’ desire to assert a more conservative Islamic identity.

The break-up marked the end of the opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat, which was replaced with Pakatan Harapan comprising of Bersatu, PKR, DAP and Amanah. PAS is now in another electoral pact with smaller parties under the Gagasan Sejahtera banner.

“If PAS members still remember my father’s struggles, they should be with Amanah,” said Faiz, who is Amanah deputy Youth chief.

Fadzil is remembered for having a progressive approach in politics, including forging ties with more secular parties like PKR and DAP. Together, the three parties formed Barisan Alternatif in the 1999 general election and later, Pakatan Rakyat.

Under Fadzil’s leadership, PAS captured Kelantan, which it has ruled since 1990, and Terengganu for a period.

Fadzil was president from 1989 until 2002 and on his death, succeeded by Abdul Hadi Awang.

The fifth child of Fadzil, Faiz said his concerns were on problems faced by today’s youth, such as unemployment and housing, as well as increasing the minimum wage. 

“We also want to train our youth in skills and vocational education and focus on the difficulty in owning a home, something that I myself once experienced.

“And we have to look into our education system and reform it with long-term planning. Like using English for Science and Mathematics. I believe it’s a good policy to enhance English (proficiency) but the implementation is not balanced between urban and rural areas.”

He was referring to the short-lived Teaching of Mathematics and Science in English (PPSMI) policy that was scrapped following protests by Malay-language groups as well as concerns that rural pupils were put at a disadvantage.

Faiz, who graduated from the International Islamic University (IIU), said he was prepared to contest in GE14 if he was chosen by Amanah, and was willing to shoulder the responsibility of being an elected representative. 

This burden was something he recognised and prepared himself for the moment he decided to become a politician. 

On where he might be fielded, he said, “I don’t get involved in seat negotiations but my focus is in a northern state”.

Faiz, who recently launched his first book, Kleptokrasi Bukan Rahmat (No Blessings in Kleptocracy) at the Amanah convention in Kedah in October, said he hoped to remain true to his father’s values and adherence to an Islam that embraced diversity and rejected corruption.

“The problem with Malay Muslims is that they like slogans, not only in politics but when it comes to daily products. They are more attracted to something if it mentions Islam. 

“In Islam, we have to understand that essence is more important than form. In politics, what’s important is Islamic values and ethics. We don’t need to have Islamic institutions if the administration itself does not (practise) Islamic values. 

“Like in the issue of corruption and misappropriation of funds – it does not reflect what Islam is all about, in fact, it will even tarnish the image of the religion,” he added. – December 20, 2017.