Not all in PAS liked the idea of the controversial Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib joining the party but he has helped a lot of people during his time as Selangor Mentri Besar and he wins votes for PAS in rural seats.
“MIKE Tyson” or Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib (pic) made his first appearance on the PAS stage in Shah Alam earlier this week.
The former Umno leader drew quite a big crowd because many people are curious about this once most powerful man in Selangor joining PAS.
His joining forces with PAS at this crucial political juncture has not been the knockout punch that PAS had hoped it would be, but it has been the talk of Selangor and it will have some impact.
Mat Taib, as the former Selangor Mentri Besar is also known, has appeared at PAS ceramah in several places in Selangor. Tonight, he is scheduled to speak in Tanjung Karang.
But those hoping to understand his actions will be disappointed. His speaking appearances at PAS ceramah have been bland, to say the least. At each of these ceramah, he spoke for barely 20 minutes and seemed anxious to make a quick getaway.
He has yet to subscribe to the PAS dress code of jubah and kopiah, but the once immaculately groomed man now looks a little out of sorts.
He turned up for a press conference at the PAS headquarters on Tuesday unshaven and looking a little uncomfortable because he is in unfamiliar territory. His hair has turned completely silver but he is still in good shape.
Journalists had flocked to the press conference hoping for answers. Mat Taib arrived with another former Umno politician Tamrin Ghafar and said that he had to leave immediately because he had an “emergency meeting” and quickly left. Tamrin was left to read out a press statement urging more Umno members to follow Mat Taib in joining PAS.
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Until today, no one can quite explain why he is doing this. Had he been younger, it would have been explained as mid-life crisis or an attempt to reinvent himself.
But he is 65, extremely wealthy and has lived a life that most people could only dream of. His friends in Umno see it as the behaviour of a bitter old man.
In an exclusive interview with Sinar Harian on Wednesday, he came across as disjointed, unsure and lacking conviction about why he had quit one party for another.
But piecing together bits and pieces gathered from his ceramah and public statements, his action could be roughly summed up as wanting to unite and strengthen the Muslims and to be a beacon in Islam.
He is also unhappy about the liberal lifestyle he sees around him especially in Selangor. He is not interested in returning to politics or political posts and he wants to follow the right path in Islam.
Mat Taib dropped out of the political scene after losing in the contest for the Umno deputy president's post in 2009. His friends said he felt let down by the party and had decided to devote his time to religion, spending time in the surau.
He has certainly made a grand return into the public eye. News of his recruitment was timed to give PAS a much needed edge in Selangor.
It was PAS' way of telling Selangoreans that even this former Umno big gun regards PAS as the better party.
He has helped many people in the state and PAS is hoping these people would remember what he has done for them and give their vote to PAS. They believe Mat Taib can make a difference in marginal seats where PAS is struggling for the Malay vote.
“People in Tanjung Karang have been talking about him speaking there. There will be impact,” said a Selangor PAS member.
Mat Taib was a popular Mentri Besar and also a controversial one. He eloped with a Selangor princess and his career crashed when he was detained in Australia's Gold Coast for not declaring a large amount of cash that he was carrying.
PAS and DAP had targeted him throughout his career, accusing him of everything from alleged corruption to cronyism. Not everyone in PAS is comfortable about their new friend.
Many in PAS have not forgotten the bad things their party leaders used to say about Mat Taib.
They think the party should be more discriminating and that recruiting him is a contradiction of what the party stands for. The more cynical said they would not be surprised if the party tries to recruit Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo next.
The positive way of looking at it is that PAS is willing to forgive and accept its enemies. The negative take is that PAS is an opportunist and will do anything in its quest for power.
But it is always good to look on the light side of things Mat Taib is the flavour of the month for PAS. The party will parade him around Selangor like a prized trophy from now until May 4 never mind if the trophy is somewhat chipped.
ANALYSIS
By JOCELINE TAN
Friday April 26, 2013
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