Asri calls Umno ‘backstabbers,’ denies links to JI
Former Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin dismissed allegations of his involvement with terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), and accused the Barisan Nasional (BN) government of lying about any security threat.
His remarks today suggest the influential Islamic scholar could be having second thoughts about joining Umno, as has been widely speculated in recent days.
Asri (picture) also echoed Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) sentiments doubting recent reports that Malaysia faced an imminent threat of terror attacks.
He accused the Umno-led government of politicising the security issue.
“Malaysians understand our views and we have always been propagating progressive Islam, racial and religious harmony, opposed to extremism and any form of extreme views,” said Asri said in a joint statement with Perlis Mufti Dr Juanda Jaya.
“The issues that we have been bringing up have always attracted people of all racial and religious groups as we portray a tolerant Islam based on our plural society,” said Asri.
He was responding to reports about a Bukit Aman security briefing linking him and other religious figures to terrorist activities.
Asri accused the federal government of making up the issue for political gains.
It was reported that the deputy director of the Islamic training institute, ILIM Zamihan Mat Zin had linked Asri, Juanda, PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and former Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to Wahabism and JI at a briefing for government officials.
