'Arrogant' - Saifuddin slams Hadi over 'powerful Islam' remarks

'Arrogant' - Saifuddin slams Hadi over 'powerful Islam' remarks


PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has hit out at PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang over claims that the latter’s party was committed to “powerful Islam” and not “powerless secular Islam”.

Saifuddin (above, left) said Hadi’s “arrogant” remarks gave the impression that PAS had absolute power to punish people.

“Hadi’s statement gives the impression that it is so easy to punish those who differ in views (and label them as) tyrants and secularists. This is very regrettable.

“PAS and its president think they have the absolute power to punish people. This is the thinking of the Khawarij (an early Islamic sect) who in the end, if you refer to history, decided to kill leaders who disagreed with them.

“This kind of extremism should be rejected by Muslims, including those in Malaysia,” Saifuddin told Malaysiakini.

He also claimed this stance was an effort by the Islamist party to cover up the Terengganu state government’s failure.

“PAS has full power in Terengganu, there is no opposition. The party has had the opportunity to show what kind of governance model it would like to implement.

“What is clear, however, is that PAS has failed. The party is trying to cover up this failure by expanding on politics and the Khawarij line of thought,” he said.

While Hadi did not specify what he was referring to in his statement, Saifuddin said this line of thinking was similar to when Perikatan Nasional rejected the Agong’s suggestion to form the government with Pakatan Harapan after the 2022 general election.

At the time, Hadi said PAS rejected the secular and liberal unity which he claimed was inherited from the colonisers.

“Hadi’s (recent) statement also tried to justify why PAS rejected the advice of Tuanku Agong (Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah) to be together in a unity government,” Saifuddin said.

“Hadi’s justification is also full of arrogance and pride. I implore Hadi to realise that the basis of unity among Muslims is ‘saying the Shahadah’. The basis of unity between Muslims and non-Muslims is to protect common interests.

“For example, maintaining national security, maintaining harmony among Malaysians, prospering the economy, and others. These are all shared interests,” he added.