Image of Islam needs fixing, Hishammuddin says

Umno vice-president says that his party and PAS should be focusing on the teachings of Islam.

KUALA LUMPUR: The image of Islam needs to be fixed, said Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein today.

Speaking on the possible political cooperation between Umno and PAS, Hishammuddin said that it did not matter who made the first move as the focus was on Islam and its teachings.

“The image of Islam is something that we need to fix. This is why we are working with Saudi Arabia.

“It is a symbolic gesture that we need to show the world. It is the same with PAS and Umno, it (political cooperation) should be about Islam,” Hishammuddin said at a press conference in Parliament today.

He however added that any possible cooperation between the two parties was far from confirmed, and was in fact “not even close” to reaching that stage.

Yesterday, Perkasa head Ibrahim Ali said that it was better for Umno and PAS to work together on common issues like race and religion, instead of merging as a political entity.

Ibrahim, whose NGO has had alliances with both Umno and PAS in the past, said political cooperation between the two parties was unlikely, as they did not share the same political ideology.

“It won’t happen because PAS is an Islamist party while Umno is a nationalist party.

“We hope the two can work outside the political sphere and that is why we proposed the setting up of a council called the Ukhuwah Islami­yah so Perkasa, Umno and PAS can talk on common ground,” he said at his NGO’s annual general assembly, Sunday.