PAS ulama to hold special prayer to ensure Khalid stays as MB
(The Malaysian Insider) – Pas ulama will hold prayers on Thursday for Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to keep his Selangor menteri besar post despite his own PKR party sending him a show-cause letter for disobeying orders to resign from office.
PKR has officially declared Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will take over the post.
PAS members will perform a mass hajat prayer tomorrow, seeking God’s intervention in the matter, ahead of the PAS central committee meeting on Sunday which will decide the party’s stand on the issue.
(Hajat prayers are performed to request that God grant a particular wish.)
“We will pray so that the state legislative assembly is not dissolved and that the PAS central committee upholds the president’s stance,” Norazli Musa, president of non-governmental organisation Geng Ustaz Musa, told The Malaysian Insider.
Norazli was referring to PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s backing last month for Khalid to remain as menteri besar.
The special prayers, organised by Geng Ustaz in cooperation with Selangor PAS Youth, will be held at Khalid’s official residence in Section 7, Shah Alam.
Khalid, PAS Research Centre operations director Dr Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki, Selangor PAS commissioner Iskandar Abdul Samad and several other leaders would attend the prayers, said Norazli.
“We are now waiting for confirmation from (deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr) Haron Din to lead the prayers.
“The programme will begin at 6.30pm and is open to all.”
They would also be praying for the Palestinians of Gaza, who have been under attack from the Israeli army since last month.
On July 25, Hadi had said he did not agree with PKR and DAP’s reasons for wanting to remove Khalid, adding that the latter had done nothing to betray the people.
“God willing, that is my stance and I hope all of PAS leaders will stand with me, even if there are differences of opinion,” he had said.
But Hadi’s statement provoked criticism from Pakatan Rakyat leaders and his party, forcing PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to defend Hadi.
“Like many others in this country, I, too, am wondering what Khalid did wrong to the point that he must be removed from his position as menteri besar,” said Nik Aziz.
He also reminded PAS members to remain loyal to their president.
