Anwar, PKR under fire

(The Star) – A top PAS leader has lashed out at PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while another is questioning the party’s co-operation with the DAP.

PAS deputy spiritual adviser Datuk Dr Haron Din reportedly questioned Anwar’s association with a former MP from India who had allegedly belittled Islam, while former Sik MP Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Shahnon Ahmad said cooperating with the DAP was not in line with Islamic teachings.

Joining the fray yesterday was former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa, who defended his two party colleagues for speaking up.

Dr Haron’s criticism followed Anwar’s attendance at the launching of a book entitled Tinderbox: The Past and Future of Pakistan written by a former Indian MP Mobashar Jawed Akbar who was quoted by Antarapos.com as saying that Islam could not be used as the basis for establishing a country.

The portal also quoted Akbar as saying during the event that if Islam was capable of that, then Singapore would not have separated from Malaysia.

Haron expressed regret that PKR had given Akbar the opportunity to present his liberal views in Malaysia.

Saying Anwar’s association with Akbar did not involve PAS because he had his own ways of doing things, the portal quoted him as saying: “That is Anwar’s politics and his politics is not based on Islam. So he is not like us.”

Nasharudin said Haron had a right to make his views known as he was the deputy Mursyidul Am of PAS.

“What Shahnon said could be based on his observation of recent developments in PAS, especially the open statements by DAP leaders on the implementation of hudud,” he added.

Nasharudin said he supported the statements by both leaders and remained firm in his stand that PAS should re-examine its cooperation with the DAP.