{
  "id": 6552234,
  "title": "Can Malaysians trust PAS? — Xavier Jayakumar",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/can-malaysians-trust-pas-xavier-jayakumar",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-10T06:37:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/what-you-think/2026/09/10/can-malaysians-trust-pas-xavier-jayakumar/234698"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "SEPTEMBER 10 — Malaysians watching PAS’s 72nd Muktamar in Kelantan have a common question: what would happen to the country if PAS and its allies took control of Putrajaya? My assessment, based on what I have heard on the main stage, is that I am not fully convinced. The rhetoric from the gathering seemed to focus on one goal: gaining federal power, with everything else seen as secondary. PAS leaders emphasized Malay-Muslim unity as the path to Putrajaya, leaving little room for non-Malays as partners in nation-building. While PAS recently upgraded its non-Muslim wing to full party status, providing associate members voting rights, the core leadership remains restricted to Muslims, and key positions on the economy, education, and religion are still set by its Islamic scholars' council, not by a broader national consensus.\n\nThere is a deeper concern: is PAS moving towards an Islamic state where syariah law takes precedence over the Federal Constitution? Kelantan's Deputy Menteri Besar has called for the federal government to review Article 4(4) of the Constitution, the provision protecting the supremacy of federal law over conflicting state Islamic enactments. Kelantan responded by re-drafting the offences, making them harder to challenge constitutionally. This raises legitimate concerns about the expansion of syariah criminal jurisdiction into everyday life, though it is not the same as banning girls' education, which has not been proposed by PAS on record.\n\nEconomically, Malaysia's financial markets and investor confidence rely on predictability. A federal government prioritizing religious authority over constitutional certainty, or imposing restrictions on gambling, alcohol, and entertainment nationally, would unsettle both foreign and domestic investment. PAS's record in governance, particularly in Kelantan, Kedah, and Terengganu, shows that the state has not improved its development indices despite 35 years of continuous PAS rule. This raises the question: if PAS's model of governance is superior, why hasn't it shown in the numbers? While PAS-led states like Kedah and Terengganu have been courting foreign investment, it is unclear if this pragmatism would survive full federal power, especially regarding syariah and social policy.",
  "summary": "SEPTEMBER 10 — For many Malaysians watching PAS’s 72nd Muktamar unfold in Kelantan over the past week,...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}