The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that PAS has demanded proof from the Indonesian government that the late Dr Azahari Husin, Jemaah Islamiah's (JI) master bombmaker, was behind the terrorist bombings in Indonesia.
Party president Abdul Hadi Awang said PAS would support the government's move to fight terrorism in Southeast Asia, but the root causes of terrorism must be identified. In that way, government action against terrorism can then be conducted fairly.
He likened the allegations against Azahari to the lies made against Iraq having weapons of mass destruction. His opined this comparison could be made because there has been a decidedly lack of evidence to indicate Azahari's involvement in the terrorist bombings. In other words, Hadi Awang reckons the accusations of Azahari being a terrorist have been all lies.
Indeed, Abdul Hadi Awang demanded a fair investigation. Apparently, Hadi Awang reckons the accusations against Azahari have all along been a US plot. He asked of the Indonesians not to be cowed by the US.
It's disappointing but predictable that PAS would hesitate to applaud or support the Indonesian success in eliminating Azahari or just remain silent over the affair. It has also been predictable that PAS would be under 'political' and ideological pressures to come out publicly to defend Azahari.
The late Azahari has many sympathisers among Malaysians. I have seen their comments on some Malaysian blog sites, some initially with sheer disbelief that Azahari had been slain, and then some with religious rationalisation on his departed soul somewhat akin to the Buddhist belief of reincarnation. Apparently they have been desperate to want Azahari somehow not to die.
Some Malaysians also respect JI as a brethren Islamic political party. Thus, according to their politico-religious proclivity, what Azahari, in the JI top echelon, had done must be good and in accordance with the will of God.
Whatever ideology PAS may profess to subscribe to, in the final analysis, it is still a political party, which needs to keep an eye on potential voters for the next Malaysian election. It reckons it can do that best by shoring up its Islamic credentials through defending Azahari, regardless of the fact that the late Malaysian PhD holder was known to be a JI terrorist operative.
PAS wants it both ways, to be seen as a responsible law-abiding political party supporting a universally accepted need for strong anti-terrorism measures, and at the same time giving comfort to its many pro-Azahari supporters by posing as a champion for Azahari, or at least his 'good' name.
If PAS lacks the conviction to stand against murderous terrorists it is then not ready to assume the position of a responsible government. Indeed many Malaysians believe that PAS has a history of supporting the Muslim secessionists in southern Thailand, principally because those Thais were and are Muslims (and also kinfolk). Their interferences in the internal affairs of a neighbouring country have greatly angered Thailand and embarrassed the Malaysian federal government. Most Malaysians also are aware that the Thai secessionists have operated into Thailand from safe havens in Kelantan.
Unfortunately, for a fundamentalist Islamic party like PAS, it is a captive to its own ideology or professed ideology. It doesn't want to be seen as retreating from its obligatory blind support for any Islamic group. It must have believed it may experience support difficulties if it remains silent over the slaying of Azahari, seen by some PAS supporters as an Islamic hero in the same mode as Osama bin Laden.
I wonder what Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, would say, as Anwar has mentioned that he will be campaigning for PAS in the Pengkalan Pasir state by-election. Does he share Hadi Awang's views on Azahari?
