‘Turbaned monkey’ found hanging on road leading to PAS muktamar

Today is the first day of PAS’ 63rd muktamar but it has already been marred by the mysterious appearance of a “turbaned monkey”.

A stuffed monkey, complete with a white turban on its head as well as a pair of spectacles and a white “moustache” was found hanging on a tree at Jalan Tandop - the road leading to the Kota Sarang Semut complex in Kedah 5km away where the muktamar is being held.

The stuffed toy, found hanging at the tree around 10 this morning, was also clad with a PAS muffler and strangely, it also sported a symbol believed to be a cross on the its right arm.

Also found with the stuffed toy were the flags of Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) and PKR.

Kedah PKR chief Azman Ismail however decried this as "sabotage”.

“We never attack people personally. We will take action if any of our members are involved,” he said.

The flags, Azman explained, were hung as they recently had an event with PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli in Kuala Kedah.

Meanwhile, the stuffed animal was nowhere to be seen as of 3.30pm today.

Coincidence or not, it is noted how PAS president Abdul Hadi and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia had found themselves depicted as monkeys in a caricature by Nanyang Siang Pau earlier this month.

Nanyang Siang Pau had retracted and publicly apologised for the cartoon but was still served a show-cause letter by the Home Ministry.

The Home Ministry has since accepted the Chinese-language daily’s apology and said that no further action will be taken. 

Hadi himself later invited all Muslims, who were hurt by the cartoon to forgive the Chinese-language daily.

Banner urging resignation of three leaders

Meanwhile, a banner urging the resignation of three Kedah MPs and assemblypersons from PAS were also found today.

The banner was found strung on the side of Jalan Putra in Alor Setar.

Three leaders, branded "harumanis" (harumanis mango) on the banner were Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar, former PAS commissioner and Anak Bukit state assemblyperson Amiruddin Hamzah and Kubang Rotan assemblyperson Nasir Mustafa.

The banner also bore the words “Harumanis: green on the outside, orange on the inside. Leave PAS!” and the claim that this was the demand from PAS supporters in Kedah.

Reponding to this, Mahfuz said he could only “thank” the people responsible behind the banner.

“I don’t feel slighted. Maybe they were influenced by (PAS vice-president) Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who was supported by the president in telling me to leave PAS.

“This doesn’t affect my spirit to continue making both PAS leaders and members realise the importance to be with Pakatan Harapan,” he added.

Despite the PAS leadership’s intention to sever ties with PKR and its rejection to cooperate with Harapan, Mahfuz however believes that most PAS members want to be with Harapan.- Mkini