Former CID chief: I’ve never regretted joining PAS

(The Malaysian Insider) – Retired senior policeman Datuk Fauzi Shaari has refuted rumours that he had regretted joining PAS and reiterated his commitment to the Islamist party.

“Why should I regret being with PAS? I have made the right choice,” the former Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director was quoted by Sinar Harian today.

“I think my decision to join PAS had made some quarters uneasy. That’s why they deliberately concocted this issue.”

“I am happy and grateful for what I have faced and enjoyed since I joined PAS,” he added.

Fauzi’s response came after a text message was circulated, claiming that he had been rethinking his position in the party.

“If I knew that PAS is like this, I swear I would’ve never joined it.  Joining PAS is like joining DAP,” said the text message allegedly attributed to him.

The former crimebuster had been widely tipped to contest the Larut parliamentary seat for PAS in the next polls.

PAS’ last candidate for Larut, Dr Mohd Dhari Othman, lost the 2008 election to Umno’s Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin with a majority of 1,911.

Fauzi joined PAS in May, the first big name to sign up with the Islamist party which has embarked on a campaign to recruit key establishment figures to help shore up voter support ahead of looming polls.

Besides Fauzi, former religious department director for Malacca and Selangor, Datuk Mohd Nahwari Hashim, joined PAS in November during its annual conference in Kota Bharu.

Three former public servants have joined PAS before this, including former diplomatic officer and ex-Deputy Head of Secretary for Ministry of Home Affairs, Datuk Ismail Hamzah and former Senior Director of Farmer’s Organisation Authority (LPP), Abd Rahman Taib.

Another of the three was Yusuf Hassan, former Human Resource Director for Jakim and Deputy Secretary for Penang.

In June this year, former Board of Inspectors chief for the Ministry of Education, Ahmad Zabidi Shamsuddin, joined the party by submitting a registration form to PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat during the Himpunan Hijau rally in Perak.

He had served the public for 33 years, with 10 years under his belt in the Ministry of Education as the Education Director for Terengganu and as principal in a number of schools.

Last month, Chief Secretary for the Ministry of Land and Cooperative Development, Prof Datuk Dr Nik Zain Nik Yusof also joined the Islamist party.