KUALA LUMPUR: At a time when the country is grappling with its own issues of faith and trust laced with fear, PAS is asking Malaysians to believe in the party. “Give us your absolute trust and allow us to replace Umno and lead this country. We pledge to be fair to all and urge Malaysians to give PAS their trust as an alternative leadership to Umno,” said party president Abdul Hadi Awang.
He said Umno could no longer be trusted because it was now desperate, reckless and uncaring of how divided and suspicious the communities were.
(Pic – File photo)
He said Umno’s aim of confusing the Muslims and the public with a distorted version of true Islamic teachings and blatantly stoking racial intolerance was creating discord and distrust.
“We urge non-Muslims not to judge PAS by Umno’s discriminative standards and distorted understanding of Islam,” Hadi said last night.
He said if non-Muslims were unsure of PAS’ capabilities, they just needed to speak to their peers in the communities in Kelantan, Terengganu and now Kedah, Penang and Selangor.
“We have always been consistent with our stand and administrative approach. Islam is about justice and fair treatment…” he said.
According to him, the reason for the confusion these days was the deviant understanding of Islam as propagated by Umno during all its years of rule.
He said Umno had never stopped using religion and racism as a weapon to frighten multi-racial Malaysia into supporting the party.
Dangerous tactic
The worst and most dangerous tactic of Umno is projecting an image to the public, especially the Malays, that its decisions were in accordance with true Islamic teachings.
“They have mixed and meshed their narrow perspective on racism and linked it to appear like it’s the teachings of Islam,” he said, adding that Umno-linked media had helped propagate these sentiments by giving the impression that the ties between the races was at its worst.
He said Muslims were being hit with confusing interpretations of Islam, while non-Muslims were being incited with racial slurs.
“I wish to advise the media to stop fanning racial issues because it is only confusing the Muslims and endangering their ties with others.
“It is time for Muslims to be discerning and to weigh whatever they hear and read.
“They should avoid being trapped by misleading information disseminated by Umno and its agents,” he said, adding that PAS was willing to face the National Fatwa Council to explain the guidelines to Islamic teachings if invited to do so.
Hadi’s comments come amidst fears that the country may be on the road to self-destruction following wanton interpretations of Islamic teachings, socio-cultural intolerance and rising inflation.
Yesterday in his National Day message, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak called on Malaysians to practise restraint and value what they have inherited.
He said society should not allow the Malaysian way of life, which is based on diversity and moderation, to be undermined by extreme attitudes which manifest themselves through racial and religious issues.
“Everything which we have achieved, everything which we have built, and things which are dear to us, will be destroyed.
“We should, therefore, value the prevailing peace, harmony and stability in the country,” he said
