Don’t be fooled into thinking PAS is more rational, Puad tells Ti

Don’t be fooled into thinking PAS is more rational, Puad tells Ti

PETALING JAYA: Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi has reminded MCA’s Ti Lian Ker of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s 1981 sermon on kafirs (infidels), saying it stands against Ti’s claim that the Islamic party is more rational than Umno.

In a Facebook post, he said while Ti had “sanctified” PAS in the matter of the Jalur Gemilang controversy, the party has not yet done the same for Ti.

Puad also mentioned former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, who had agreed with Ti that PAS was the more rational party compared to Umno.

“Perhaps they have not read ‘Amanat Hadi’, which Hadi has not retracted to this day. That sermon is the reason for the widespread labelling of others as kafir (infidels) and for PAS’s penchant for judgment – this is halal, that is haram. Is that the wisdom Ti and Zaid are so proud of?” Puad said.

Ti was quoted by Malaysiakini last week as saying that PAS seemed more rational, given the relentless attacks made by Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh on Umno’s coalition allies in the unity government.

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“Akmal’s actions, in this respect, are worse than his contemporaries in PAS. PAS leaders seem more rational and composed in their words and deeds,” Ti was quoted as saying.

However, Puad pointed out that non-Malay parties not politically allied with PAS had been accused by PAS of being anti-Islam.

“When PAS and DAP were together, PAS said DAP understood Islam better than Umno. Now they call DAP anti-Islam. What wisdom is this?” Puad said.

“Ti and Zaid forget that Umno pioneered cooperation with non-Malay parties, in forming the Alliance party, which then became Barisan Nasional. That is the multiracial politics practised by Umno,” he said.

Puad said Umno had been accused of being an “assobiyah” party (extremely opposed to other ethnic groups) for its basis in Malay nationalism.

“But Ti and Zaid do not fully understand Umno’s Malay nationalism. Umno defends the unwritten ‘social contract’. This is why vernacular schools exist to this day. They must be reminded that Umno’s fight for the Malays has never strayed from the Malays’ special rights contained in the constitution. Do Ti and Zaid not consider that wisdom?” Puad said.

He urged them not to let Akmal’s defence of the national flag make them think that PAS is wiser. “Akmal has never linked the flag issue with race,” he said.