Umno ulama council to stay clear of political alliances

 

Umno ulama council chairman Dusuki Ahmad (seated, fourth from left) with members of the council leadership at their first meeting today. (Umno pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno’s ulama council will function as a party wing with the role of elevating the dignity of Islam and Muslims, and is not aimed at re-establishing any form of political alliance, the council’s chairman Dusuki Ahmad said today.

He said the council was set up to focus on finding solutions to the problems that plague Muslims and Muslim nations.

“For so long, the religious movement has been seen as somewhat marginalised, and so now, in that sense, we have to consolidate and strengthen cooperation,” he said after chairing the first meeting of the council’s leadership.

Dusuki had been asked if the newly-formed wing will take on the role of re-establishing political alliances between Umno and other political organisations such as Muafakat Nasional (MN).

MN was formed in 2019 as an alliance between Umno and the Islamic party PAS. However, the two partners ended up at loggerheads after PAS backed Bersatu in forming a new government coalition, Perikatan Nasional.

Today’s meeting of the ulama council outlined its four main roles:

• An advisory role in realising Umno’s Islamic basis and purpose as provided in the party constitution;
• To educate and discipline party members in line with the party’s principles and to remain steadfast to being pious Muslims and good citizens;
• Advising the government to always act according to the Federal Constitution, in which Islam is stated as the religion of the federation;
• To guide Muslims to always stay on the true path of Islam and be responsible Malaysians. - FMT