Sanusi’s karaoke outing exposes clear double standards within party, says DAP MP

Focus Malaysia:

Sanusi’s karaoke outing exposes clear double standards within party, says DAP MP

By Bernie Yeo

THE PAS Dewan Ulama’s defence of Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who was recently criticised by delegates for participating in karaoke activities, exposes a clear double standard within the party, says a DAP leader.

Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng said while PAS Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Ahmad Yahaya claimed that karaoke is permissible under Islamic law, Kelantan, which is governed by PAS, had banned all karaoke businesses.

“This inconsistency raises an obvious question: Why is it okay for PAS leaders like Sanusi to enjoy karaoke, but regular people in Kelantan can’t?” he questioned.

“It’s a blatant case of hypocrisy. PAS talks about upholding strict religious values, but when it comes to their own leaders, those rules seem to loosen up.

“On one hand, PAS leaders defend karaoke as long as it doesn’t conflict with Islamic law, but on the other, they impose a blanket ban on the same activity for the public in Kelantan.”

Lim went on to stress that this goes beyond just karaoke, and this matter reflects a deeper issue of double standards within the Islamist party.

“The party seems quick to enforce restrictions on ordinary citizens while allowing its own leaders to act outside those limits,” he commented.

“If PAS wants to be credible and maintain public trust, they need to stop preaching one thing and doing another. A party can’t expect to be taken seriously if it continues to impose rules on others that it isn’t willing to follow itself.”

On Sept 15, Ahmad insisted that he was not blindly defending Sanusi, adding that what the latter had done was not in conflict with Islamic law.

Ahmad said he had been friends with Sanusi for a long time and that there was no element of sin in what the latter had done.

“We know his heart and soul. He always strives for more when he is entrusted to look after the state. He wants to please the people and he is ready whenever he is asked to take pictures, take selfies and sing,” he was quoted as saying in his speech at the 70th PAS muktamar at Al-Makmur Complex, in Kerdau, Temerloh.

“The Dewan Ulama pays attention and sees what is not evil. Evil is an agreed upon sin, an act that is prohibited.” – Sept 16, 2024