Mat Sabu denies Syiah links
(MM) – PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu has denied Putrajaya’s accusation that he has links to the banned Syiah movement, insisting instead that he follows the accepted Sunni school of jurisprudence.
The PAS leader reportedly confirmed this to Astro Awani when contacted yesterday.
“I am a member of the Sunnah Wal Jamaah, a Muslim that follows the teachings of Sunnah Wal Jamaah members,” he briefly told Astro Awani in his journey to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The PAS leader was responding to the accusation by Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who had yesterday issued an order on local religious authorities to take action against the former for his alleged links to the Shiites.
Addressing a packed auditorium on the last day of Umno’s 67th General Assembly, Ahmad Zahid ― who is also an Umno vice-president ― said his ministry will no longer tolerate any elements that are seen as a threat to national security.
“PAS, set aside political interest. This is about akidah (faith) and national security… I am surprised how their party elections installed a Syiah as the number two leader in PAS,” he said in his winding up speech, in a clear reference to Mohamad Sabu.
“We are done lying low. Jamil Khir, KDN gives you the power to take action against (that) PAS leader,” he said to thunderous applause from the over 2,000 delegates.
Ahmad Zahid was referring to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, who is in charge of Islamic affairs.
On Twitter, PKR Senator Syed Husin Ali acknowledged Zahid Hamidi’s accusation and advised his PAS comrade to sue the minister for making such a claim without any solid proof.
“Minister Zahid Hamidi accused Mat Sabu and wants the Religious Minister to take action. Does Zahid have solid proof. If not, Mat should sue,” he wrote.
On Friday, Ahmad Zahid had a proposal to redefine Islam as “Sunni” in the Federal Constitution would be brought before the government for discussion in a bid to prevent the spread of other Islamic ideologies, including the Syiah sect, in Malaysia.
National newswire Bernama quoted the minister as saying that by inserting the words “Sunnah wal Jamaah” in the definition of Islam in the Federal Constitution, it would ensure that Muslims who follow other ideologies are prohibited from spreading their teachings.
It is widely accepted that “Sunnah wal Jamaah” is the de-facto ideology adopted by the majority of Muslims in Malaysia, though religious authorities have long grappled with pockets of different sects that have taken root across the country.
The Home Minister said the spread of the Syiah ideology is an “issue of faith and national security”, and has been determined by the National Fatwa Council in 1996 that it is a deviant movement that goes against the tenets of Sunnah wal Jamaah, the dominant Islamic ideology in Malaysia.
Yesterday, Umno president and prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said his party will redefine Islam as “Sunni” in its party constitution.
Ahmad Zahid said Umno’s proposal to add the words “Sunnah wal Jamaah” to define Islam under the Federal Constitution was a right step in making it clear what brand of Islam is practiced in the country.
He claimed that the plan even received the endorsement of a cleric from the holy city of Mecca, and that Malaysia is arguably the first Muslim country to push for a clear stance on its religious ideology.
