KUALA LUMPUR – Kedah’s PKR Youth chief has joined the chorus of critics slamming PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang over his supposed disrespect for the royalty.
Mohammed Taufiq Johari, who is also Sungai Petani MP, said Hadi’s statement on “Ketinggian Islam Wajib Dipertahankan” reeked of disregard and insolence for the royal institution.
“Hadi’s absence from the opening of Parliament meant that he did not take stock of what Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim told lawmakers, especially on MPs being a good example,” he said in a statement today.
“In fact, his absence is enough to signal that he does not respect the sovereignty of the Malay rulers.”
Taufiq added that Hadi’s questions on the Nik Elin issue were answered in the Dewan Rakyat by religious affairs minister Zulkifli Hasan, when asked by PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan.
“Before issuing a statement, I suggest Hadi checks with his party sec-gen seeing that he did not show up for the sitting. I hope he is not confused by the issue as he could confuse the public with his statements.
“This is not the first time that a PAS leader has insulted the royalty. Previously, Kedah menteri besar (Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor) also offended the Sultan of Selangor.
“Takiyuddin had also confused the lower house and caused offence to the former Agong. The latest being PAS’ Padang Serai MP (Datuk Azman Nasrudin) who had to apologise for getting the Agong’s name wrong.”
Yesterday, Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah issued Hadi a rebuke for disrespecting the Federal Constitution as well as the Malay Rulers, who are the guardians of Islam in the country.
In a five-page letter, Sultan Sharafuddin expressed deep disappointment over statements Hadi posted on February 20 on Facebook, in which the Marang MP called Malaysia’s constitution a colonial legacy aimed at sidelining Islam.
Sultan Sharafuddin criticised Hadi for disregarding the history of the Federal Constitution and its aims of ensuring racial harmony.
Hadi, who had criticised the Federal Court judges’ ruling in the Nik Elin case that ruled 16 out of 18 Kelantan shariah criminal enactments as unconstitutional, was causing anxiety and division among the people, the Sultan added.
The ruler then reminded Hadi that as National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) chairman, he had moved to strengthen Islam following the Nik Elin case by ordering for solutions to the overlap between state-enacted shariah laws with federal laws.
A special committee under MKI has been formed to study the matter and make recommendations, including the possibility of amending the Federal Constitution.
As for Hadi’s absence from Dewan Rakyat, he had furnished a letter and a medical certificate to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul explaining that he was unfit for work as he was recovering from poor health. – March 1, 2024