Zam's back... and gets nasty with PAS

After months of silence, former information minister Zainuddin Maidin has launched a blistering attack against PAS and its Pakatan Rakyat partners, accusing the Islamist party of rabid racism and religious extremism while putting up a front of multiracialism and tolerance.

In an interview with Umno-Online , Zainuddin alleged that PAS leaders in a meeting with former prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Syed Putra during the riots of May 1969 had urged him to order the “seizure” of Chinese-owned property.

“PAS purports to be based on Islam, but while Umno is promoting values of unity among the people, PAS was inciting (disunity).

“PAS stoked matters to such an extent that they said we were giving away this country to the Chinese at the time of the Alliance Party,” said Zainuddin.

According to Zainuddin, Tunku Abdul Rahman had disclosed that following the May 13 riots of 1969, some PAS leaders had met him and said it was time to take back the property held by the Chinese.

“Tunku said, if we undertake such confiscations, would we know how to do business? So why should we seize their property, when they themselves had worked hard to acquire such wealth?

“This irrational attitude has been proven, such as during the time of the Konfrontasi (with Indonesia), these PAS people supported Indonesia and said that, if possible, Indonesia should take over this country and arrest all its leaders,” said Zainuddin.

He also stressed that PAS is a racist party based on Islamic extremism, said the Umno-Online report entitled "Zam exposes PAS' evil incitement".

Zainuddin claimed further that it was Umno, by exposing the extremism of PAS leaders - such as Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Abdul Hadi Awang and Mohamad Sabu - that made PAS “ lebih beradab dan bersopan ” (more civil and proper).

“Why do they now accuse us of being racists, when we have always accommodated the other ethnic communities into a united coalition made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians and other races,” he said further.          

Zainuddin also criticised PAS for playing “political games” with issues of morality, alluding to the controversy over the intimate photos of Selango exco member Elizabeth Wong.

“How can they seek the application of hudud, when pictures of a naked woman now holding the position of state assemblyperson have been exposed to the public, (and) is accepted by Nik Aziz (despite there being) a scandal and so on.

“How can PAS allow such immorality?”

Hammering Pakatan for the differences between parties over issues of principle and direction,  Zainuddin also mocked DAP for failing to rise to the standards of its predecessor PAP of Singapore, and PKR of lacking any ideology.

The people should realise that if Pakatan cannot act uniformly and accommodate each other, then it will be chaos should the opposition coalition gain the reins of the federal government, said Zainuddin.

“It is up to the rakyat whether they want a government that is stable and with a (federal) constitution and strong foundations, or a government that has no direction, only dreams.”

Zainuddin added that Malays should realise that the extent of PAS, PKR and DAP’s willingness to compromise will lead to political instability.

“While Barisan Nasional has gone through crises over the past decades, at least we have the foundations and we have our stand that is clear to its leaders, while PKR, DAP and PAS are still looking for a way (to cooperate).”

In a response to Zainuddin’s remarks, PAS demanded today that he retract his “slander” and apologise within three days.

If he fails to do so, all of the Islamist party’s bodies will be directed to lodge police reports and legal action will be taken, said PAS’ information chief Idris Ahmad ( right ).

 

“The statement was clearly made to destroy the image and good name of PAS as a party that upholds the country’s sovereignty and unity of its peoples.

“PAS is certain that he (Zainuddin) and Umno are now desperate to disparage PAS and are willing to indulge in slander during this month of Ramadan in order to fish for Malay support for their political interest.

“Umno is now synonymous with the creation of slanderous tales and wicked propaganda for their political survival due to being rejected by the people,” said Idris.