PAS Ulama told to advise members on slander

TUMPAT: Ulama or religious scholars in PAS have been told to advise their party members to cease slandering the government and the Barisan Nasional (BN) which have proven themselves by developing the nation according to the Islamic model.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said PAS did not stop slandering the government which has done much for the people when PAS itself has not done anything especially for Kelantan residents.
"I am asking PAS to stop the defamation against the government and BN for the sake of the people. Enough is enough with the slander.
"I am telling religious scholars in PAS to advise party members to stop defaming BN and the government," he said when giving a talk at the Pengkalan Kubor BN community service centre here last night.
Also present was BN Pengkalan Kubor by-election machinery director Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
Muhyiddin, who is BN deputy chairman, said among the biggest slander by PAS was that the federal government did not pay petroleum royalty amounting to RM12 billion to Kelantan.
"This defamation is one big lie. Even though this issue should not be raised as the matter is still with the court, but we have to explain as the royalty issue was being used by PAS in its campaign and talks," he said.
Muhyiddin said BN was actually not worried with the issue played by PAS especially in this by-election as the issue used by PAS is not true. He said PAS had to resort to slandering about royalty solely to influence voters to garner votes in the by-election.
"Some may believe what PAS said and as such we are forced to defend ourselves to explain the truth," he said.
He said PAS needed to look at the success of the country especially in Islamic banking which received global recognition.
"Another example is how Tabung Haji manages pilgrimages to Makkah which was participated by PAS members themselves to fulfil their pilgrimage," he said.
According to him, the ability of the country to achieve a 6.4% growth was far better than many countries.
Muhyiddin called on Pengkalan Kubor voters to think wisely on who actually developed the constituency all this while if it is not the federal government.
"Look at PAS which is good in making promises such as building highways and they remain good at such empty promises.
"We at the federal government would not dare to make such promises if there were no funds but the PAS government can make empty promises with impunity," he said.
The by-election is a three-cornerned fight between Mat Razi Mat Ail of BN, Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim of PAS and independent candidate Izat Bukhari Ismail Bukhari.
The by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar of BN on Aug 20. In the 13th general election, Noor Zahidi defeated PKR candidate Saharun Ibrahim and Independent candidate Izat Bukhary with a 1,736 vote majority. – Bernama