Seven Decades of PAS in Malaysian Politics

This chapter investigates how the Islamist Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) has manoeuvred within Malaysia’s mostly competitive authoritarian system. It also examines the impact of electoral democracy on PAS and its ability to work together with other parties in achieving political success at the ballot box and also limiting its populist inclinations. With its long history, PAS’ views and policies on various issues are manifested in its rule in the state of Kelantan and the short stint that the party was part of the federal government in Malaysia from 2020 until 2022. The chapter finds that PAS may be the most democratic among the cases in the book because it has experience participating in elections since before Malaysia’s independence in 1957 and because of its fluctuating influence even in the Malay heartland limiting its ability to further its “shariazation” policy in multiracial Malaysia.