PAS politics, not Islam cause of Malay disunity - PM Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- Prime MInister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said that it is the politics of PAS and not the Islamic religion which has caused the split up of the Malays.

He said this action by PAS could not be forgiven because before the emergence of the party, the Malays were not divided because of the religion.

"It is only after PAS was established that the Malays were divided and they became bitter enemies. This disunity has weakened the Malays. The Malays grew so weak that PAS was forced to seek the help of the 'infidels'," he said in his latest post on his blog Chedet.

However, he said, PAS had claimed that the party was not 'infidel' despite working with the 'infidel' party because this was considered ‘tahaluf siyasi’.

"What is tahaluf siyasi if translated to the Malay language? It means ‘political co-operation’ and this is the same as what UMNO is doing in working with the MCA and MIC," he said.

The Pakatan Harapan chairman said the Arabic (Quran) language was clearly used to Islamise the cooperation between PAS and the 'infidels'.

He said the acceptance of the leaders and party's teachings were more important than the teachings of Islam among PAS members and as such they were willing to be enemies with other Muslims even though the Quran mentioned that Muslims were brothers.

“Because of this attitude the Muslims (Malays) in Malaysia have been divided until today," he added.

He said many others in the party were still obsessed with PAS and its teachings although some members have left PAS.

"And the deep disunity among the Malays is ongoing. This will continue for as long as PAS misinterprets and misuses the teachings of Islam.

"This is the reason why I am against PAS," said the Prime Minister.

Dr Mahathir said it was clear that PAS had split the Malay Muslims deeply and to this day there were still separate congregational prayers at the same mosque.

He added that no Malaysian ulama has dared to say the declaration that non-PAS members were infidels was wrong and had contravened with Islamic teachings.

“Those in administration with purview over Islam have also remained silent,” he said.

-- BERNAMA