COMMENT | The Islamist party PAS has taken a more proactive approach to promoting itself in national politics in the past month.

The activities range from police reports on hosting Christmas gatherings in government ministries, “jihad” fundraising efforts to defend defamation and support for public caning in Terengganu to attending rallies on ex-premier Najib Abdul Razak’s house arrest addendum.

The most recent incident was Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria seeking headlines in yet another attack on a DAP minister.

This has come amidst internal party calls within PAS for its ailing party president Abdul Hadi Awang to be the opposition’s presidential candidate.

Collectively, these actions reflect attempts by PAS to shore up its core political base - a base that remains strong as the party is projecting itself as a contender for national power.

There is, however, a too frequent prioritisation of political gamesmanship over principles. As such, PAS has become more like Umno in...