TEMERLOH: The bai'ah (oath of loyalty) and the passing of the anti-hopping provision in Pas' constitution are expected to further enhance the integrity of the party's leadership.
As such, party deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said there is no need for Pas to abolish its practice of the bai'ah, despite amending its constitution to include the anti-hopping provision.
"We are retaining the bai'ah (practice) even though we have amended the constitution with the anti-hopping provision. In terms of stability, it is stronger if we have both the oath and the legal provision.
"This means we are controlling our members in two ways. First through the bai'ah, which is spiritual in nature, and then through the legal provision, which is physical. There is a sense of fear… because in Pas, the oath is sworn in the name of Allah, Wallahi Wabillahi.
"(The bai'ah oath states) 'I will not betray the party, and if I do, my income becomes haram'. This spiritual value binds each of our candidates to be accountable to the people who elect them," he said during a press conference after the closing of the 70th Pas annual muktamar today.
Tuan Ibrahim added that under the party's new legal framework, members will lose their positions with the passing of the anti-hopping provision.
"However, the concept of sin and virtue does not exist in the law. Therefore, both the bai'ah and anti-hopping provisions will complement each other."
Pas is the latest political party to approve a motion introducing anti-party hopping provisions into its constitution, following the agreement of two-thirds of the 1,324 delegates present.
The provision is one of six other approved amendments, including opening its membership to non-Muslims as associate members of the Islamic party.