The Malaysian Insight

DAP has recently ramped up its attack on PAS because it views the Islamist party as the weakest link in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, political analysts said.

DAP, they said, was also trying to win votes by defending the rights of the non-Muslims, especially the Chinese, following Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) dismal performance in the Malacca elections. 

Ilham Centre’s executive director Hisommudin Bakar said PAS was an easy target for DAP because the party was conservative and religion-based. 

“PAS was against gambling and alcohol even before they were in the government. PAS is an easy target because they are now in the cabinet that has made these decisions,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“However, making PAS the punching bag is not a clever strategy as the government is now dominated by Barisan Nasional (BN) and not PN,” he said.

In a new policy introduced by Kuala Lumpur City Hall, sundry shops, convenience stores and Chinese medicine halls are now prohibited from selling hard liquor. The policy came into effect on November 1. 

Under the new prohibition, beer will still be allowed to be sold although only between 7am and 9pm, and placed away from other beverages.

The ruling also states that businesses in front of police stations, places of worship, schools and hospitals may not sell alcohol. 

In Kedah, the PAS-led government banned all four-digit outlet operations in the state, and curbed the sale of alcohol in rural areas. 

Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the policy had nothing to do with race or religion and that he was not trying to deny the rights of non-Muslims as many have accused him of doing. 

Yesterday, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said the ministry will leave it to state governments to decide whether or not coffee shops and restaurants need to apply for these licences. 

DAP has been the most vocal critic of Putrajaya’s recent policies on gambling and the sale of alcohol, pinning the blame on PAS on what it views as extremist policies.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had labelled the recent policies as moral policing and denying non-Muslims their freedom of choice. 

Universiti Malaya’s Awang Azman Awang Pawi said it was wrong to blame PAS for these policies. 

“Saying PAS is influencing Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government to come up with these policies against the non-Muslims is not right.

 “The views among the Malay-Muslims is that the Islamist party has not paid any attention to such issues (gambling and alcohol) since it joined PN,” he said. 

Awang Azman also agreed with Hisommudin that PAS was an easy target.

“Since joining PN, many of PAS’ actions have not been consistent with what they have been fighting for all these years.”

Defending the rights of minorities

Hisommudin said that DAP’s persistent attack against PAS on the issues of liquor licence and gambling indicated that the party was returning to its roots to defend issues concerning the Chinese community. 

“This is a reflection of the effect of the Malacca polls, where DAP failed to attract Chinese voters. 

“They have to reposition themselves as defenders of their voters to ensure the 15th general election will not be a repeat of Malacca.” 

In Malacca, BN clinched a two-thirds majority after winning 21 of the 28 seats in the assembly. 

PH contested in all 28 seats, with PKR fielding 11 candidates, Amanah nine and DAP eight. PKR lost all 11 seats to BN, DAP won four and Amanah one. 

Meanwhile, International Islamic University of Malaysia’s Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar said DAP’s recent attacks against PAS are justified as the party was consistent in addressing the issues that affect the minorities. 

“The latest attacks on PAS are within DAP’s long-term struggles. In doing so, it also tries to win support from those who are opposed to the recent government policies that seem to be infringing the minorities’ rights. 

“The attacks are justified within the framework of protection of minorities’ rights, and they are especially important in preparing the mood for GE15,” he said. 

Because DAP has been with a coalition with PAS in Pakatan Rakyat, they are also well aware of the Islamist party’s hold on Malay voters, he added. 

“DAP knows PAS from its earlier coalition with the former. It knows that if PAS is allowed to influence large segments of the Malays, DAP and PH will lose the Malay support because of the small size of moderate Malays that are remaining, if most Malays turn to right-wing politics.” – December 10, 2021.