04-23-2021, 11:57 AM
From Moaz Nair
![[Image: Hadi-Awang-Bernama-020421.jpg]](https://s3media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Hadi-Awang-Bernama-020421.jpg)
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, as reported recently, gestured that PAS would not work with political parties that are “liberal”. Does this mean that PAS is only willing to work with political parties that are illiberal or conservative?
If this is the case, then PAS cannot work with other political parties, as there is none in the country that is as conservative. PAS should then stand alone with its conservative approach to politics and governance, and seek out support from the voters.
All political parties in Malaysia, except PAS, are liberal in principles and approach. Even when race becomes central to some of these parties, in reality they acknowledge diversity and are still willing to accommodate people of other races, religions and those with diverse lines of thinking.
Liberal thoughts are not confined to political and social issues. They have philosophical and scientific dimensions which have brought about many scientific inventions and discoveries that have made life more expedient for mankind.
A liberal democracy is a representative democracy with protection for individual liberty and property by rule of law. It supports free markets, a limited government, individual rights, democracy, secularism, gender and racial equality.
It values the rule of law, freedom and social justice where all individuals are treated equally and enjoy basic rights to education as well as religious tolerance. In a liberal democracy, it is obligatory for domestic and international bodies to protect these values.
On the contrary, a religiously conservative government or an illiberal democracy has no limits on the power of the elected representatives to rule as they please. Although elections take place, citizens are usually deprived of knowing about the real goings-on of those who exercise power because of the lack of civil liberties. Thus, it does not create an open society and is regressive in nature.
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Quote:This is the 21st century but if PAS is still bogged down with conservatism and fantasies of the Middle Ages in seeking partnership only with non-liberal or conservative political parties in their approach to politics and nation-building, the country can never progress under their rule.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, as reported recently, gestured that PAS would not work with political parties that are “liberal”. Does this mean that PAS is only willing to work with political parties that are illiberal or conservative?
If this is the case, then PAS cannot work with other political parties, as there is none in the country that is as conservative. PAS should then stand alone with its conservative approach to politics and governance, and seek out support from the voters.
All political parties in Malaysia, except PAS, are liberal in principles and approach. Even when race becomes central to some of these parties, in reality they acknowledge diversity and are still willing to accommodate people of other races, religions and those with diverse lines of thinking.
Liberal thoughts are not confined to political and social issues. They have philosophical and scientific dimensions which have brought about many scientific inventions and discoveries that have made life more expedient for mankind.
A liberal democracy is a representative democracy with protection for individual liberty and property by rule of law. It supports free markets, a limited government, individual rights, democracy, secularism, gender and racial equality.
It values the rule of law, freedom and social justice where all individuals are treated equally and enjoy basic rights to education as well as religious tolerance. In a liberal democracy, it is obligatory for domestic and international bodies to protect these values.
On the contrary, a religiously conservative government or an illiberal democracy has no limits on the power of the elected representatives to rule as they please. Although elections take place, citizens are usually deprived of knowing about the real goings-on of those who exercise power because of the lack of civil liberties. Thus, it does not create an open society and is regressive in nature.
- More -