A son of former PAS president Fadzil Noor has reminded the party’s Youth wing that his late father and other former leaders staunchly supported Anwar Ibrahim throughout the prime minister’s sodomy trials and subsequent incarcerations.
Amanah secretary-general Muhammad Faiz Fadzil recalled how his father had shared stories of “injustices” committed towards Anwar, both at home and in public speeches.
“The late Fadzil also never tired of visiting Anwar during court proceedings, and he was also the first opposition leader to defend Anwar,” said the former Permatang Pasir assemblyperson in a statement.
Faiz was responding to deputy PAS Youth chief Mohd Hafez Sabri, who urged Anwar to seek a review of the sodomy cases.
Hafez’s call followed Anwar’s speech last Saturday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Reformasi movement, where the PKR president branded himself as an “honourable prisoner” who faced “cruel and vile accusations”.
Anwar landed in prison twice over sodomy charges, which he maintained were fabricated by his political rivals.
The first was in 1999, during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first tenure as prime minister. He was released in 2004 when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi succeeded Mahathir.
Remember Barisan Alternatif?
Faiz reminded PAS Youth that his father had in 1999 formed a movement called Gerak to mobilise people’s support against injustices towards Anwar.
“This then led to PAS gaining support from various levels of society and emerging as a strong party that won 27 parliamentary seats in the 1999 general election,” he said in reference to PAS’ cooperation with PKR, DAP, and Parti Rakyat Malaysia under the now-defunct Barisan Alternatif pact against BN, led by Mahathir as then Umno president.
“Is PAS Youth prepared to deny this historical fact?” Faiz questioned today.
In 2015, Anwar was convicted again during Najib Abdul Razak’s administration.
Faiz, who is also a lawyer, reminded PAS Youth and Anwar’s critics that the Federal Court had overturned the prime minister’s first conviction, and he was granted a royal pardon for his second conviction.
“Therefore, the suggestion by deputy PAS Youth chief for Anwar to seek a review of his case is baseless and shows an ignorance of the law.
“This is because there is no existing conviction to be reviewed. Instead, what must be reviewed is the mindset of PAS leaders who never ceased to drag up past incidents, as if the party is devoid of ideas as an opposition party,” he stressed.
Abusing fatwas for political mileage
Faiz added that former PAS leaders, including party president Abdul Hadi Awang, who succeeded his late father, had at the time supported their defence of Anwar with arguments based on various sources in Islam.
“But now, PAS, as always, will find new rulings (fatwa) and change their old ruling.
“That is how they act, skilful at using fatwas for political mileage,” claimed Faiz.
In his speech during the gathering of some 20,000 supporters at the Axiata Arena, Anwar named Fadzil, the late former PAS religious adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, and former grand imam of the National Mosque Ustaz Taib Azamudden Mohd Taib, as among those who stood up for him. - Mkini
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