PAS should focus on Clare's allegations, not Ambiga

Islamist party PAS should be more concerned with allegations made against them by Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown, rather than heckling former Bar Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan for being identified as the source of Rewcastle-Brown’s information.

If the allegations made against PAS in the High Court in London are true, it is not difficult for the MACC to start its investigations.

What is more important for PAS now is for its leaders to answer to Rewcastle-Brown’s allegations that former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa and other top PAS officials had displayed “newfound wealth, purchasing cars, properties and taking new wives”.

From what we know, former PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat was living in a humble home despite being the menteri besar of Kelantan for over two decades.

I also remember hearing the story that Nik Aziz would hitch a ride with others on his way to the federal capital instead of using his official vehicle if there was a personal matter he had to attend to. Such was the good examples that he had set for PAS members.

Typically, we would expect PAS leaders to be clean and less corrupted if they fear Allah and the punishment in the life hereafter. But, has this image of a clean PAS changed, and is PAS no longer interested in proving otherwise?

Their more urgent priority, instead of heckling Ambiga, should focus on coming clean to show that they never had any of these properties.

My question is - have these PAS leaders even publicly declared their assets so that the rakyat know that they are clean?

I am not making any allegations but merely asking the PAS leaders including Nasharudin to defend their own reputations since the allegations are now in the public domain.

As Malaysians, we are concerned about the level of corruption that is plaguing our nation’s leaders. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s alleged boast that “cash is king” should have alarmed many of us.

MACC report and investigation

At this juncture, the people who are in the know should lodge reports with the MACC and expose the so-called newfound wealth of PAS leaders. If not, they will remain forever silent.

If the MACC investigation is stalled for some reason unknown to us, those with the information should at least publish the evidence so that we can assess what appears on Rewcastle-Brown’s affidavit at this juncture.  

Let the evidence speak for itself. Nothing speaks louder than photographic evidence. It would be a great injustice to my fellow Malaysians if this evidence is not released for all to see.

I view Rewcastle-Brown’s allegations of PAS leaders purchasing luxury cars and properties as a more serious threat to PAS’ own credibility. Therefore, PAS should deal with it urgently.

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STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.-Mkini