PAS colleagues distance themselves from Nizar

(The Star) – The PAS leadership is distancing itself from the controversial remarks made by its central committee member Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin against the Johor royalty, which is now the subject of a police investigation.

Stopping short of expressing his unhappiness at Mohammad Nizar’s actions, Johor-born PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub said he was disappointed that the incident had put a dampener on the party’s long-standing good relations with the royalty.

“What he did was a personal matter. However, he should not have done something that is not beneficial to the party,” he said.

Salahuddin said PAS had maintained a relationship of mutual respect with the royalty in the states under the party’s administration such as Kedah and Kelantan.

“What was said was his personal view. Let the law take its course,” he said.

Fellow central committee member Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa shared the same sentiment, saying that Mohammad Nizar should have been more cautious when making remarks in the new media.

“Remarks made on Twitter or Facebook are entirely a personal view and what he wrote does not reflect the party’s stance,” he said.

Dr Mujahid said the money paid by an individual via tender for a car registration number was a personal matter.

PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi also said the tweet was Mohammad Nizar’s personal view, declining to comment further.

In IPOH, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said Mohammad Nizar had revealed his “true character” of making statements without thinking of their implications.

“The Sultan of Johor is able to purchase the number plate due to his own capabilities. Therefore, Mohammad Nizar should have done his homework first before shooting off his mouth,” he told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting yesterday.

In JOHOR BARU, state Umno Youth chief Mohd Fadil Muskon challenged Mohammad Nizar to visit the state and explain his comments to the Sultan.