'Does Zamihan think he's God to know when Mahathir will die?'

Former Umno Batu Kawan vice-chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan has railed against Islamic preacher Zamihan Mat Zin for the latter’s thinly-veiled comments about Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Does Zamihan think he is a god, who knows who will die first?

“For Zamihan’s knowledge, maybe Allah is still lending Mahathir to us for a reason.

“We are grateful to Allah who is still granting the best of health and mental strength to Mahathir to shoulder the fight against corruption and abuse of power as stated in religious and secular laws,” Khairuddin said in a statement today.

Zamihan (photo) had reportedly said that an old man who had ruled for 22 years should stay out of politics and repent “for all his past mistakes”.

“Stop thinking about politics when you’re old and about to die.

“An old man who had ruled for 22 years should enroll himself in a pondok (religious school), recite the Quran and spend his day remembering God and repenting and asking for forgiveness for past mistakes,” the preacher had said in a Facebook live interview with news portal Watan Online. 

Khairuddin pointed out that Islam also calls for its adherents to stand up for the truth and fight against worldly evils.

“Does Zamihan not realize that Islam also calls for us to fight corruption, abuse of power and oppression of the people?” he questioned.

Not only that, but Zamihan also does not know Mahathir (photo) personally, so he is not in a position to comment on the former premier’s religious habits, added Khairuddin. 

“He does not know Mahathir well so it is unfair for him to say such things based merely on his perceptions,” he said.

Zamihan had also said working with DAP is “haram” as it is “anti-Islam” for opposing PAS’ efforts to introduce harsher punishments in syariah courts.

Khairuddin also criticised this remark, saying that Umno does not support hudud.

“Umno is just putting on a show to make a fool of PAS and its president Abdul Hadi Awang (photo). 

“Does he (Zamihan) think Umno is sincere about wanting to set up hudud laws in our country?” he questioned.

Critics of Abdul Hadi’s bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 to allow syariah courts to mete out harsher punishments had argued that the amendments will open a path to enacting hudud laws in the country.

Meanwhile, Khairuddin also pointed out that BN parties such as MCA and Gerakan have also rejected hudud.

“How come Zamihan hasn’t touched or condemned parties such as MCA and Gerakan who have rejected hudud?” he asked.- Mkini