What is PAS ultimately fighting for at the national level? – Questions former MCA veep

A FORMER MCA leader has questioned PAS’ strong reaction to recent portrayals of its political intentions, arguing that the criticism reflects the party’s own long-stated ideological objectives rather than any form of misrepresentation.

Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker in a statement said he was not opposed to the moral values frequently emphasised in PAS sermons but expressed concern over how such values could be selectively translated into policy and used as political instruments.

“I am personally comfortable with the values of moral purity often proclaimed in PAS sermons,” he said.

“What worries me is when these values are translated dishonestly and reduced into mere political tools by politicians later on, much like DAP’s past promises to abolish Bumiputera quotas or to introduce socialism.”

Ti criticised what he described as an angry and defensive response from PAS supporters whenever depictions of a dominant PAS-led government are raised.

According to him, critics have been accused of exaggeration and extremism, with some supporters going so far as to label such discussions as sensitive “3R” (race, religion and royalty) issues and tagging the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) for action.

“If that is the case, have PAS sermons all this while not been violating the 3R framework as well?” he asked. “Is PDRM not doing its job?”

Ti was responding to Datuk Idris Ahmad from PAS who dismissed remarks he made in an earlier statement as inaccurate and not grounded in the party’s actual record or facts.

The PAS vice-president said that as a senior politician with a law degree from a local university, Ti should know better than to mischaracterise PAS.

“As a legal practitioner, his writings and statements should be based on facts and track record, not sentiment or emotion,” Idris said in a post on his social media account.

He added that emotionally driven and fact-deficient political narratives are increasingly being rejected by Malaysians, including the Chinese community, whom he said have become more discerning and mature in their assessment of the country’s political realities.

The Bagan Serai MP, who is also a former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), pointed out that PAS has extensive governing experience, particularly through its long administration of Kelantan.

However, Ti argued that the portrayals being criticised are consistent with PAS’s openly declared objectives, including the upholding of the sovereignty of syariah, the principle of amar makruf nahi mungkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil), and the aspiration towards an Islamic state.

“These are not accusations invented by critics,” he said. “They are goals that PAS itself has repeatedly articulated.”

He questioned what PAS is ultimately fighting for at the national level if such principles are now considered controversial when discussed openly.

“Is it power? Is it economic reform? Is it social justice for minorities?” he asked, adding that the party’s discomfort suggested a deeper unease with confronting the practical implications of its own agenda.

Ti stressed that his concern was not rooted in hostility towards religion or moral governance, but in the risk of ideological promises being reinterpreted or diluted once political power is attained.

He said this scepticism is shaped by Malaysia’s political history, where lofty ideological commitments across party lines have often been compromised by political expediency.

“Do not be angry because the portrayal is not wrong.”

Instead, have the courage and honesty to defend what is being proposed openly, and to address the concerns of academics and the anxieties of many about its impact on a plural society in the name of democracy,” he said.

Earlier, Ti wrote on social media criticising PAS, arguing that the greater risk lies not in a fractured PN or the possibility of Bersatu distancing itself from PAS — which some view as a weakening of the opposition — but in PAS governing on its own without coalition partners.

He asserted that being part of a coalition compels PAS to compromise, moderate its stance, and remain accountable to economic realities, the Federal Constitution and Malaysia’s plural society.

In contrast, he claimed that an unconstrained PAS would be more inclined towards extreme and radical positions.

Ti added that history has shown power tempered by compromise to be more stable and controllable, while absolute power without meaningful checks and balances carries a far greater potential for harm. – January 3, 2026