PAS will provide funds for Bersatu to face the upcoming state elections, following the freezing of the latter's accounts.
According to PAS Dewan Ulama chief Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh, PAS will always back its ally in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, come what may.
"PAS has a lot of money. If Bersatu has no money, we will give them money.
"The fact is, PAS does not need a lot of money (to contest in polls). I personally used only a few thousand ringgit of my own money when contesting in the election. The rest were contributed by PAS members. So what can we say?" Utusan Malaysia quoted Zawawi (above) as saying when met at the Parliament building yesterday.
The Pasir Puteh MP was commenting on rumours that PAS may leave PN as Bersatu no longer has access to money to fund its campaigning for the upcoming elections in six states.
Earlier this month, the MACC froze two of Bersatu's bank accounts, with about RM40 million in them, over allegations that the party received contributions from some 10 contractors who received various projects when the party was running the government.
Commenting on the freeze, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said he will write a letter to the MACC with a request to unfreeze the accounts, as the freeze has hindered the party's staff payments and office rentals.
'All races do it'
On another matter, Zawawi also defended PAS Youth's “Himpunan Pemuda Islam Terengganu” (Himpit) procession, which caused a social media stir over the participants' display of replicas of medieval weapons and armour.
According to him, all the other races did similar things during their respective festivals.
"The Indians have processions with their own weapons. The Chinese too. The Sabahans and Sarawakians use sumpit (wooden blowpipe). Umno has its keris. It is normal, so no need to blow up the matter.
"The (PAS) procession is indeed different from the one held during the Prophet's time. The religious minister said the procession gives a bad image of Islam and the country, I'm sorry I don't agree with him," he told the daily.
Zawawi was commenting on the remark by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Na'im Mokhta, who said marching while bearing replica weapons was unwise and could lead to misunderstanding.
Amid the criticism, several PN leaders defended the procession. PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man likened it to a Chinese opera, where the actors also carry swords and spears, and said as such, the matter should not be blown out of proportion.
Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, meanwhile, dubbed the backlash against Himpit an "overreaction" by the non-Malays and non-Muslims.
The police have recorded statements from several PAS Youth leaders and members who attended the procession and took possession of replicas of the weapons. - Mkini
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