PETALING JAYA • Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) splinter group Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB) said it will unveil its "ulama extraordinaire" line-up next week.

GHB secretary Dzulkefly Ahmad said the group will showcase its brand of "inclusive ulamas" at an international seminar on Saturday next week.

"Our religious scholars will be joining more than 200 ulamas from all around the world at the Nadwah Ulama programme. We will show our detractors that we have an impressive line-up of ulamas who are not judgmental, and do not have a holier-than-thou attitude," he said.

The religious scholars who have joined the group are modern, open and approachable, he added.

Dr Dzulkefly said he hoped the Registrar of Societies would approve the formation of GHB as a new party soon.

GHB plans to team up with the Democratic Action Party and Parti Keadilan Rakyat to form a new federal opposition alliance.

Dr Dzulkefly also dismissed Selangor PAS' announcement that several members found to be involved in GHB were sacked.

"We are still PAS members. We did not receive any letters saying we have been sacked," he said.

Selangor PAS secretary Mohd Khairuddin Othman said the Selangor GHB members were sacked in accordance with the party constitution, which states that members who join other political parties will automatically be sacked.

Dr Dzulkefly said the onus was on PAS to take action if its leaders felt party discipline was breached. He added that PAS leaders were divided over the action to be taken against those aligned with GHB.

"Some want disciplinary action taken against us while others have tried to coax us against forming a new party. Some have even threatened us. They are not united on this," he said.

Dr Dzulkefly also said GHB was gaining momentum on the ground in attracting people from the silent majority, especially Malays who believe in taking the middle ground. "Our roadshows attract good response," he said.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK