‘Mat Sabu is the one’

The Home Ministry has come out with a 10-point evidence list to say that PAS deputy president follows Shiite teachings, which is banned in Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: The Home Ministry today revealed that PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, more popularly known as Mat Sabu, was involved in Syiah activities which was banned in Malaysia.

Ministry secretary-general Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi said the PAS number two leader was the one referred to by Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, at the recent Umno general assembly, of following the banned teachings.

“The statement by the minister regarding a top PAS leader being involved with Syiah teachings is Mat Sabu,” he told reporters today.

He claimed that Mat Sabu was involved in Syiah activities connected to the struggle of Iranian revolutionist Ayatollah Ruhullah Musawi al Khomeini.

“Mat Sabu had urged Islamic followers to adopt the Islamic leadership principles based on Imam Khomeini in an article published in Harakah in July 2008.

“He had also expressed his admiration at Khomeini’s struggle which had influenced his leadership style during a speech in June 2011,” he added.

He also claimed Mat Sabu made a Shiite invocation during a ceramah in Arau, Perlis, in 2005.

Although it was called a press conference to announce evidence of Mat Sabu’s involment in Shiism, newsmen were not allowed to ask questions. Abdul Rahim just read a prepared five page statement.

He also claimed that Mat Sabu’s invocation evidence came from an interview conducted by the Home Ministry with Kedah Fatwa Council member Abdul Aziz Hanafi.

“All these facts clearly prove that he (Mat Sabu) has connections with the faith and activities of Shiites,” Rahim said.

He also quoted the writer of a blog called ‘dukeofumno’ with a certain Abdul Rahim from Pendang, Kedah who had claimed to have personally witnessed Mat Sabu performing his prayers using a small flat stone, a practice synonymous with Shiites.

He also said in an interview by the Antara Pos portal, Jati deputy president Aidit Ghazali, claimed Mat Sabu to be a ‘Shiite icon’.

He alleged that statements obtained from Mat Sabu’s friends who were in the same political struggle also showed that he had connections with Shiism.

He claimed Mat Sabu had ‘urged’ Malaysian Muslims to follow the example of the thinking and leadership qualities of Khomeini, which is clearly based on Shiism.

However, Abdul Rahim did not specify any action to be taken against Mat Sabu, merely saying that the ministry will cooperate with the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the police to monitor the situation and stop the spread of Shiism in the country.

In an immediate reaction Mat Sabu said many lies were being spread about him and that he would be meeting his lawyers to decide on the next course of action.

He was also firm in denying that he was a Shiite.

“I admire a lot of people. I admire Khomeni as a leader of Muslims. I am also admirer of Hassan Nasrullah (the Lebanese Shiite leader),” said.