No Islamic justification for PAS to rally for ‘corrupt’ ex-PM

 

From Ahmad Farouk Musa

At the time of writing, PAS is still adamant in holding a rally on Jan 6 in support of the imprisoned former prime minister, Najib Razak, during a court hearing about a purported royal addendum with regard to his claim to be allowed house arrest.

While the whole idea of this rally outside the Court of Appeal was initially mooted by Umno, which backed out after Istana Negara issued a statement that any application for a pardon or sentence reduction must be submitted to the Pardons Board chaired by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, PAS insisted to go ahead with the rally.

What baffles us is the question of what Najib has to do with PAS. Has PAS lost its moral compass?

Najib has been found guilty of embezzlement of RM42 million transferred from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB, into his private account. He has lost his appeal even at the Federal Court – the highest court – where a five-member panel of judges found that his appeal was “devoid of any merit”.

So what is PAS trying to prove by still planning to hold this rally? Does the appetite to wrest power to run the country make them forget that they are fighting to prop up a politician proven in the courts to be corrupt?

The palace has spoken. What justification does PAS have to insist on holding this rally? The statement by the palace was in plain language and even Umno understands it.

While PAS might think that this is a golden opportunity to bring down the Madani government and their arch-enemy, the prime minister, don’t they realise that their action will backfire upon them?

Many educated and well-read Malay Muslims will lose any faith left in them. Their action only showed that they are greedy for power. That they will sacrifice the Islamic principles to always stand firm for justice and equity, and turn to become political opportunists.

God says: ‘O you who have attained faith! Be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the truth for the sake of God, even though it be against your own selves or your parents and kinsfolk. Whether the person concerned be rich or poor. God’s claim takes precedence over [the claims of] either of them. Do not, then, follow your own desires, lest you swerve from justice: for if you distort [the truth], behold, God is indeed aware of all that you do’. [Sura an-Nisa’; 4: 135]

There is no Islamic justification to rally for a former prime minister found guilty of corruption. Have they forgotten how much misery this one person has inflicted upon the entire nation?

In order to remain in power, Najib sacked his deputy and the attorney-general. He even changed the top commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and attempted to close investigations despite MACC’s recommendation for further action.

It seems that PAS has forgotten about all this. What’s left in their minds is their lust for power when the Madani government is overthrown.

Such ugly politics by PAS will not augur well with the thinking Malay-Muslims in this country. This is not what is expected from an Islamist party that claims to uphold Islamic principles. It defies any logic and transgresses any boundary of morality.

Shame on you, PAS. - FMT

Ahmad Farouk Musa is a doctoral candidate in Islamic Studies at Universiti Muhammadiyah Malaysia and an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.