Kit Siang: Dr M 'eating own words' over unofficial adviser role

 

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's role as an unofficial adviser to four Perikatan Nasional-led states has run contrary to his past critics of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said Mahathir in his book “Capturing Hope – The Struggle Continues for a New Malaysia", released after the downfall of the 22-month Pakatan Haparan government, had repeated critics against Hadi's divisive views.

Specifically, Lim (above, left) said he was reminded of Mahathir's view that Hadi through his 1981 declaration that Umno "was a party of kafir (infidels)" had been responsible for sowing division among Malay-Muslims.

"Now, Mahathir is eating his own words by becoming an unofficial adviser to the four PAS states although PAS, under Hadi, is trying to do on the Malaysian scale what he had done previously.

"Condemning DAP as anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-royalty, communist, spreading Islamophobia, without any iota of evidence or proof whatsoever," said Lim in a statement today.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang

Lim also quoted excerpts from Mahathir's book that touched on Hadi's declaration, made as a then PAS Youth leader, and for decades after was referred to as guidance by generations of party members and supporters.

"Members of the same family who are Umno followers are shunned by those who support PAS.

"In fact, PAS members truly believe that the three million Umno members, their families and their supporters are not Muslims. They are all kafir – infidels and apostates," wrote Mahathir in his book.

"If before there was no religious divide among Malay Muslims, now there is. And the divide is deep, caused not by the teachings of Islam but by politics," said Mahathir who was Umno president in 1981 with PAS as their primary political opponent.

On Thursday, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar announced that four states under PN are working to form an official cooperation group, with Mahathir as its unofficial adviser.

Samsuri, who is PAS vice-president, reportedly said that Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu will discuss an action plan for the grouping named "state government four", or in short, SG4. - Mkini