Fear of graft probes real reason for PAS opposing asset declaration, says Ramasamy

DAP’s P Ramasamy says PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang fears that some party leaders and members may be investigated by the authorities.

GEORGE TOWN: The move to get MPs to declare their assets is to ensure that elected representatives acquire wealth legally, the DAP’s P Ramasamy said in blasting PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for bringing Islam into the equation.

He said Hadi was using this issue to camouflage his fear that asset declaration would result in some PAS leaders or members being investigated by the authorities.

Saying nobody “in his or her right mind” would object to the asset declaration proposal for elected representatives, Ramasamy added: “There is a limit to invoking reasons either ideological or religious against asset declaration.

“But this is not true with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who continues to invoke religious argument for anything that he or the party is not agreeable to.”

The Penang deputy chief minister II said while declaration of assets was not foolproof, it was still a simple preventive method which was “ideologically neutral and politically free”.

“Such a declaration is for all, no special considerations are given to ethnicity or religion.

”In this regard, it is wrong, outright childish and blatantly irresponsible for Hadi to say that the asset declaration proposal is the outcome of DAP’s socialist influence on the government of the day.

”I don’t understand how a simple and innocuous requirement can become socialist or communist in nature.”

Yesterday, Hadi had said the move to declare assets was inspired by communists and socialists. “Maybe it was envisioned by socialist DAP, which influenced our government,” he said.

Hadi said while Islam allowed for asset declaration, it depended on the situation. For example, if someone is accused of corruption or money laundering, then it is “compulsory” for him to do this.

“The socialists supposedly want to limit the wealth but the fact is that the leaders who are in the socialist country are the richest,” Hadi was reported to have said.

Ramasamy, in rebutting this, said if the DAP or any other party was calling for the distribution of assets or levelling to close the wealth gap, then it could be interpreted as socialist in nature.

”I can understand if Hadi is opposing this move simply because the proposal is coming from the PH government. But this is not why Hadi is opposing the proposal.

“He thinks the proposal is not only against Islam but a devious plot by the DAP to establish a socialist society in the long run,” he said.

The former professor said Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the beacons of communism, had talked more about unequal wealth in a capitalist society than wealth declaration.

Marx would have dismissed this requirement as something not fundamental to wealth creation or unmasking of class relations, he said.

”If asset or wealth declaration has nothing to do with the imposition of socialism, then what helps to explain Hadi’s virulent opposition?

“Hadi’s opposition to asset declaration in the name of Islam is nothing but a concealed attempt to demonise non-Malays or non-Muslims in the country or their major representative in the government – the DAP.

“Hadi has not forgotten his quarrel with the DAP that led to a split between both the parties in the now defunct coalition of Pakatan Rakyat. Whatever policies or measures that PAS opposes must be somehow related to DAP. For him, DAP is a source of all evils!”

Ramasamy claimed that apart from demonising DAP, Hadi was seeking to camouflage the “real reasons” for his objection to the asset proposal.

“A number of PAS leaders have been accused of corruption in the past in general and specifically for receiving money from Umno. Some of its leaders were alleged to lead ostentatious lifestyles, owning properties and expensive cars.

“There is real fear on the part of Hadi that any leakage of information might subject the party leaders to investigation and prosecution. Hadi thinks that by diverting attention on the asset matter, he might conceal the wrongdoings of some of the party leaders.”

Ramasamy reasoned that Hadi was using Islam to put the blame on the Pakatan Harapan government for being “used and manipulated by DAP”.

”Given the racially and religiously charged atmosphere in the country, Hadi might think and act that by putting the blame on DAP, he might enhance his reputation in the Malay-Muslim circles.

“Hadi’s hypocrisy and opportunism knows no bounds. His nonsensical talk and DAP bashing is on the verge of comedy.”

Ramasamy said former PAS leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat had sought to make PAS relevant to society and country, but that Hadi was taking the party “on the path of no return”. - FMT