KUALA LUMPUR – Umno supreme council member Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed has warned PAS against bringing political hypocrisy into religious issues for the sake of power and position.
This followed his claims that PAS members kept mum when a component party under Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposed the implementation of Imam Al-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith appreciation module for Muslim students.
As such, the Pulai Umno division chief pointed out PAS’ alleged double standards, as he said the party was quick to issue statements when MCA had opposed the matter.
“I am not defending MCA, because I also opine that the party does not need to intervene in the issue that has nothing to do with non-Muslim students,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page, today.
“It is just that I cannot accept the double standard attitude and the actions of PAS, which always ride on religious issues when there is political interest,”
Jazlan claimed that PAS is quick to lambast its rivals, especially Umno.
“When Umno forfeited its cooperation in Muafakat Nasional (MN) with PAS, it accused Umno of rejecting the unity of Malays and Islam,”
“When (Umno) worked together with Pakatan Harapan (PH) under the unity government, PAS attacked Umno as if it would become DAP’s ‘Gurkha soldier’,” he said.
Jazlan questioned why PAS did not “tarbiah” (lecture) Gerakan’s leadership, when the former had been preaching about upholding Islamic teachings to PN’s non-Muslim party component.
He also asked how PAS could work together with Gerakan, a party he claimed is sometimes extreme in Islam-related issues, citing its objection to implementing Jawi writing in textbooks in vernacular schools.
“PAS can turn a blind eye to Gerakan as they are friends. So, PAS’ Islamic laws can choose which side is right or wrong?”
On August 19, the Education Ministry launched the 40 Hadith appreciation module, intended to encourage hadith appreciation, as well as values of love and courtesy among Muslim teachers and students.
The module was initially intended to be introduced in national religious secondary schools (SMKA) and government-aided religious schools (SABK) first, before being implemented in schools under the MoE next year.
However, the module caused misunderstanding among non-Muslims and was turned into a polemic.
Subsequently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim clarified that the module was intended for Muslim teachers and students, and did not force non-Muslims to memorise any of the hadith. — August 27, 2023