Francis Paul Siah
COMMENT | I like to think that many of us have enough of the bigotry, extremism and racial slurs from PAS leaders. The pressing danger is that they seem to relish spewing such venom with impunity.
Some of them, including its president Abdul Hadi Awang, never cease to amaze Malaysians these days with their racist and extremist remarks which turned out to be nonsensical, of course.
I find it hard to accept that some PAS leaders are even ministers in the federal cabinet as I’m pretty certain that they are unsuitable and not qualified for the office. I’m not sure whether they actually know how to run a ministry. Seriously, do they?
Running a state like Kelantan and Terengganu is totally different from being a minister representing a nation. In the states, PAS can rule with simple kampung politics and religious rhetoric.
Never mind if the two states do not progress and there is zero development. Never mind too that the young people of Kelantan and Terengganu have to find jobs or seek greener pastures in other states. Why, do you think the PAS leaders care at all?
Do the PAS ministers know individual ministerial responsibility is a constitutional convention that a cabinet minister bears the ultimate responsibility for the actions of their ministry or department?
A minister is also accountable to Parliament for the proper functioning of his or her department and all other organisations within his or her portfolio. That is understood in the Westminster-style of democracy everywhere.
I look at some of the PAS leaders who are ministers and it worries me. Some are known extremists and bigots and I wonder how on earth these fellas with warped views are ever going to help move the nation forward as ministers and leaders. It really beats me!
On Aug 7, I wrote in this column that I have often wondered what the tasks of the Religious Affairs Minister Idris Ahmad are.
Whenever the minister appeared in the public spotlight, he would surely touch on something negative. It would be about banning this and that, or this and that are out of bounds for Muslims.
COMMENT | I like to think that many of us have enough of the bigotry, extremism and racial slurs from PAS leaders. The pressing danger is that they seem to relish spewing such venom with impunity.
Some of them, including its president Abdul Hadi Awang, never cease to amaze Malaysians these days with their racist and extremist remarks which turned out to be nonsensical, of course.
I find it hard to accept that some PAS leaders are even ministers in the federal cabinet as I’m pretty certain that they are unsuitable and not qualified for the office. I’m not sure whether they actually know how to run a ministry. Seriously, do they?
Running a state like Kelantan and Terengganu is totally different from being a minister representing a nation. In the states, PAS can rule with simple kampung politics and religious rhetoric.
Never mind if the two states do not progress and there is zero development. Never mind too that the young people of Kelantan and Terengganu have to find jobs or seek greener pastures in other states. Why, do you think the PAS leaders care at all?
Do the PAS ministers know individual ministerial responsibility is a constitutional convention that a cabinet minister bears the ultimate responsibility for the actions of their ministry or department?
A minister is also accountable to Parliament for the proper functioning of his or her department and all other organisations within his or her portfolio. That is understood in the Westminster-style of democracy everywhere.
I look at some of the PAS leaders who are ministers and it worries me. Some are known extremists and bigots and I wonder how on earth these fellas with warped views are ever going to help move the nation forward as ministers and leaders. It really beats me!
On Aug 7, I wrote in this column that I have often wondered what the tasks of the Religious Affairs Minister Idris Ahmad are.
Whenever the minister appeared in the public spotlight, he would surely touch on something negative. It would be about banning this and that, or this and that are out of bounds for Muslims.
Bon Odori festival in Shah Alam
Last month, Idris told Muslims not to attend the Bon Odori festival. Come October, he stated that Oktoberfest, a German beer festival, should not be allowed in the country. Idris, will you try banning Christmas next? I dare you to say that Christmas celebrations should be banned in Malaysia.
Idris, why don’t you do something positive for a change for what is left of the remainder of your term as a minister?
A few days ago, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man stated that all parties that make up the government with BN must be involved in making the decision to dissolve Parliament.
I wonder whether Tuan Ibrahim is a new PAS recruit and that GE15 will be his first electoral outing and he is feeling the jitters. Doesn’t he know that calling for the general election is the sole prerogative of the prime minister and the prime minister alone?
I am not a politician but I can safely assume that if calling for elections requires the consensus of all parties in the governing coalition, chances are Parliament will never be dissolved and elections will never be held.
Why? Don’t expect all the coalition partners to agree on a date. They can never do so, especially the present makeshift coalition. There are too many camps and loyalty and trust do not exist within the coalition. There will be no end to the debate on the election date. That is a given!
And Tuan Ibrahim is the environment and water minister. I concede I do not know much about his background but I must ask what his contributions to the ministry were since helming it in 2020.
Racial slurs
Finally, I feel duty bound to take on the PAS head honcho Abdul Hadi as I am extremely disgusted with his latest racial slurs that the root cause of corruption in the country was the non-Malays and not the Malays.
Politicians from all four corners have lambasted the PAS leader and rightly so. I have to join them as a citizen from the Borneo corner of Malaysia to express my disgust at Abdul Hadi for spewing the worst kinds of racism and hatred.
It seems that to the PAS president and his ilk, they know that racism will help them get more support from the Malays compared with their abstract version of religion.
So, it’s all politics and power, isn’t it? Nothing to do with religious beliefs!
Abdul Hadi’s brand of politics is using Islam, twisting and turning its teachings, for his own political interests. I believe that even Muslims are confused at how he interpreted Islam at times. An example is when he declared that corruption is not wrong in Islam. Seriously, Hadi! Are you out of your mind?
As a Sarawakian, I support Parti Rakyat Sarawak vice-president Liwan Lagang's call on the Sarawak government to bar Hadi from entering Sarawak for life.
Last month, Idris told Muslims not to attend the Bon Odori festival. Come October, he stated that Oktoberfest, a German beer festival, should not be allowed in the country. Idris, will you try banning Christmas next? I dare you to say that Christmas celebrations should be banned in Malaysia.
Idris, why don’t you do something positive for a change for what is left of the remainder of your term as a minister?
A few days ago, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man stated that all parties that make up the government with BN must be involved in making the decision to dissolve Parliament.
I wonder whether Tuan Ibrahim is a new PAS recruit and that GE15 will be his first electoral outing and he is feeling the jitters. Doesn’t he know that calling for the general election is the sole prerogative of the prime minister and the prime minister alone?
I am not a politician but I can safely assume that if calling for elections requires the consensus of all parties in the governing coalition, chances are Parliament will never be dissolved and elections will never be held.
Why? Don’t expect all the coalition partners to agree on a date. They can never do so, especially the present makeshift coalition. There are too many camps and loyalty and trust do not exist within the coalition. There will be no end to the debate on the election date. That is a given!
And Tuan Ibrahim is the environment and water minister. I concede I do not know much about his background but I must ask what his contributions to the ministry were since helming it in 2020.
Racial slurs
Finally, I feel duty bound to take on the PAS head honcho Abdul Hadi as I am extremely disgusted with his latest racial slurs that the root cause of corruption in the country was the non-Malays and not the Malays.
Politicians from all four corners have lambasted the PAS leader and rightly so. I have to join them as a citizen from the Borneo corner of Malaysia to express my disgust at Abdul Hadi for spewing the worst kinds of racism and hatred.
It seems that to the PAS president and his ilk, they know that racism will help them get more support from the Malays compared with their abstract version of religion.
So, it’s all politics and power, isn’t it? Nothing to do with religious beliefs!
Abdul Hadi’s brand of politics is using Islam, twisting and turning its teachings, for his own political interests. I believe that even Muslims are confused at how he interpreted Islam at times. An example is when he declared that corruption is not wrong in Islam. Seriously, Hadi! Are you out of your mind?
As a Sarawakian, I support Parti Rakyat Sarawak vice-president Liwan Lagang's call on the Sarawak government to bar Hadi from entering Sarawak for life.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang
No, we do not wish such a sick, twisted and mentally deranged politician to come roaming in our beloved Land of the Hornbills. Do not disturb our peace and tranquillity. Keep your poison in Malaya.
I have said previously that I do not normally take on religious clerics because they have my greatest respect and reverence for doing God’s work.
But Abdul Hadi wears many hats. He is an Islamic preacher, president of PAS, a member of parliament and Malaysia’s envoy to the Arab world.
When you call yourself a man of God and a cleric and also partake in active politics, then you are also a politician. When you are a politician, you are fair game to me.
I have also noted that no one in authority is prepared to tell Abdul Hadi that spewing racial slurs is very wrong and could create tension and animosity among the people. He is given all the leeway to be a preacher of hatred, anger and evil.
But I believe there are many of us who will not hesitate to tick off the loud-mouth racists and extremists in our midst, Abdul Hadi included.
And for heaven’s sake, whoever is the prime minister, please do not appoint the likes of Hadi Awang and Idris Ahmad as ministers.
I, for one, think they are not qualified to represent me in any manner, in any forum and I do not want to have anything to do with them. I choose to be indifferent to these species whom I consider alien to me.
No, we do not wish such a sick, twisted and mentally deranged politician to come roaming in our beloved Land of the Hornbills. Do not disturb our peace and tranquillity. Keep your poison in Malaya.
I have said previously that I do not normally take on religious clerics because they have my greatest respect and reverence for doing God’s work.
But Abdul Hadi wears many hats. He is an Islamic preacher, president of PAS, a member of parliament and Malaysia’s envoy to the Arab world.
When you call yourself a man of God and a cleric and also partake in active politics, then you are also a politician. When you are a politician, you are fair game to me.
I have also noted that no one in authority is prepared to tell Abdul Hadi that spewing racial slurs is very wrong and could create tension and animosity among the people. He is given all the leeway to be a preacher of hatred, anger and evil.
But I believe there are many of us who will not hesitate to tick off the loud-mouth racists and extremists in our midst, Abdul Hadi included.
And for heaven’s sake, whoever is the prime minister, please do not appoint the likes of Hadi Awang and Idris Ahmad as ministers.
I, for one, think they are not qualified to represent me in any manner, in any forum and I do not want to have anything to do with them. I choose to be indifferent to these species whom I consider alien to me.
FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com
There aren't any"moderate" PAS leader left.
ReplyDeleteWhat is amazing is that PAS has its non muslim supporters wing. I wonder if the members of this wing condone what these bunch of hypocrites say and do.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about fools like Firdaus Wong? Does he agree with Hadi when he claimed corruption was mostly the fault of the non malays and non muslims?
And then we have the frothing in the mouth PAS youth group threatening to take to the streets to protest "hedonistic concerts".
Yes, PAS has its own definition on what is halal thus you do not see these unthinking mongoloids protesting the billions lost in the 1MDB issue and the latest LCS scandal.
After all, Hadi has already stated corruption is not wrong in islam. So, why did he make a big thing in accusing the nons as being the main contributors to corruption?
It really is about time hadi goes to collect his seventy two virgins or raisins. Tgere will be many who will piss on his grave if given the chance.