Penang PAS has expressed its total support for the DAP in refuting recent allegations that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s name was being used in place of the Agong’s in the state’s Friday sermons.

mujahid yusof rawa Mujahid Yusof Rawa ( right ), the party’s state deputy commissioner, has accused Umno of "slander and lies" in claiming that several kathib or imam in Penang have switched Lim’s name for ‘His Highness’, saying the claim is yet to be proven.

“This is a lie, and it is regretful that it had happened in the month of Ramadan,” said Mujahid, who is also Parit Buntar (PAS) member of parliament.

“If we want to play politics, we should not exceed its boundaries, especially in this month,” asid the PAS central committee member.

Mujahid, who is also Bayan Baru PAS chairperson, had only harsh words for Umno, saying it was “playing a dangerous game” while ignoring the issue of loyalty to King and country.

He added that PAS rejected the “slanderous” statements which was clearly intended to cause a rift between the different ethnic groups in the country.

“I am issuing a stern warning to Umno to withdraw its influence and hand over to PAS the job of defending the rights of the Malay community in Penang,” he said.

NONE “It appears that Umno has lost the ability to handle Penang, especially the Malay community. Let PAS do it because we are prepared to offer a much better life to the Malays under the Pakatan Rakyat, with our allies DAP and PKR,” he added.

Mujahid made the stinging comments at a press conference in Komtar, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman and state exco on Islamic affairs Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim ( above ).

Texts not subject to alteration

The dailies, especially the Malay-based Utusan Malaysia and Sinar Harian, had gone to town with the controversy following Penang Umno liaison chief Ahmad Zahidi Hamidi’s allegations that the incidents took place in several mosques in Tasek Gelugor, Permatang Pauh and Jelutong.

This would constitute an insult to the Conference of Rulers, said Ahmad Zahid after chairing an Umno meeting in Kepala Batas on Thursday.

NONE Lim ( right ) has promptly denied the matter, while the state Islamic affairs department has come out strongly to castigate Umno for making the allegations.

PR top brass, from Anwar Ibrahim to Lim Kit Siang, have joined the chorus to support Lim, with the exception of PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who declined to comment , while Premier Najib Razak has c alled for a probe into the matter.

Deputy CM Mansor however admitted yesterday that Lim’s did crop up on occasion in the mosques, but only in reference to prayers to Allah to show Lim the right path to Islam.

He went on to call for those with proof of the allegations of name switching to provide evidence and lodge immediate police reports on the matter.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday police had so far received three reports over the matter and that police were now investigating.

‘Doa for Lim okay’

Mujahid echoed the calls by Mansor and Malik to identify and provide the proof (of the incident) so that necessary action can be taken.

NONE He added that if the allegations were at all true, Mansor or Malik should have been informed for speedy resolution, rather than to be politicised..

“However, the intention of the allegations is obvious, and the manner in which they were disseminated is suspect,” he said.

He explained that Friday sermons in any case were not subject to alteration, because the state prepared the texts and disseminated them in booklets distributed to the mosques.

Mujahid added that making doa for Lim during Friday prayers should not be problematic.

 “A khatib can pray for anyone, what more for the chief minister who is the main administrator of the state?” ask Mujahid.

“But to say his name has been used to replace the name of Agong is slanderous and dangerous,” he said.