PAS wants to save Malaysia: Hadi
(Daily Express) – PAS is taking up the role of adviser to the Barisan Nasional (BN) government because the Islamist party wishes to become Malaysia’s saviour, and not because it is eyeing posts, says Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
The PAS president said advising the ruling coalition was the party’s “first step” towards saving Malaysia. If that fails, PAS would then set its sights on taking over the country, Hadi said in a statement last night.
“Our message is not to grab power solely for the ‘throne’, the seats and the positions, but to become the saviour.
“We start by advising the people in power to abandon what is wrong and do what is good, and if in the end they do not change their ways, we take over as saviours, without any rancour,” said Hadi.
He said the advice should also be suited to the place and situation.
In defending PAS’s new advisory role, Hadi cited verses of the Quran and a few hadith, or prophetic traditions, on the importance of good counsel.
“Advice is one of the words in the Quran (a miracle of knowledge) that has vast meaning, to the point that it encompasses all words and methods used to enjoin others to what is good and forbid what is bad.
“Ignore those who are ignorant of the Quran,” said Hadi.
He said he was spurred to explain the concept of advising in Islam because some PAS members opposed the idea of the party becoming advisers to Putrajaya.
“When I said PAS must take the approach of an opposition that advises the government, many were so fired up that they wished to act only as the opposition, or were influenced by the enemies of Islam that are trying to create provocation,” said Hadi.
“Hence, those whose faith is weak do not become steadfast.”
He said it was compulsory for PAS politicians to heed the teachings of the Quran and the hadith, rather than opposition leaders from the US, the UK, Taiwan or Korea. Three senior PAS leaders have spoken up against attempts to bring the Islamist party closer to Umno.
Hadi first offered to help the government last month amid attempts by the other opposition parties to overthrow Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak by voting down the Budget 2016 in the Dewan Rakyat.
This eventually led to Najib proposing that Umno work with PAS to build a “perfect Malaysia”, in line with Islamic ideals, during the ruling party’s annual general assembly earlier this month.
On December 17, Hadi and Najib were seen together in matching pink Baju Melayu at a regional conference for the Al-Azhar University alumni in Kuala Lumpur.
