Umno bids to undermine PAS' Islamic credentials
SG LIMAU The first day of the Sg Limau campaign trail to win the hearts of the 93 percent Malay Muslim voters in Sg Limau has taken on a deep religious undertone as PAS and Umno try to outdo each other in their Islamic credentials.
SG LIMAU The first day of the Sg Limau campaign trail to win the hearts of the 93 percent Malay Muslim voters in Sg Limau has taken on a deep religious undertone as PAS and Umno try to outdo each other in their Islamic credentials.
In small, targeted ceramah groups last night, BN invoked the DAP’s alleged plan to form a Christian state, PAS’ inability to implement the hudud law and the increase in entertainment outlets under the Islamic party’s rule between 2008 to May 5.
“What is the point of using race and religion to create disunity among the Muslim community?” asked a Kedah Umno leader during a ceramah kelompok in Sedaka last night.
Yet the same speaker - Fuzin Hamid (left) - went on to condemn PAS for its links to DAP, saying it supports its ally’s alleged plan to establish a Christian state in Malaysia.
The DAP has vehemently denied this accusation and insists that it respects the country’s constitution that places Islam as the official religion of the federation.
Fuzin, who is also Pendang Umno permanent chairperson, attacked PAS for delaying the implementation of the hudud law in states governed by the party - Kedah and Kelantan.
PAS lost Kedah to BN in the May 5 general election this year, after helming the state for five years.
Fuzin sarcastically told PAS to join BN if it wants to implement the hudud law.
“BN already implemented the hudud in our syariah laws. We sent our religious scholars overseas to learn about this... PAS has yet to do it.
“If they want hudud, come to BN. But they do not want because if BN does it, PAS would have no more capital.
“That is why they want to do it themselves,” Fuzin told a crowd of not more than 50 who were treated to dinner at the party’s operations centre.
In most of its ceramahs, Umno is careful not to ruin the memory of the late former Kedah menteri besar Azizan Abdul Razak who died on Sept 26, for fear of annoying voters as the popular leader held the Sg Limau seat for five terms since 1995.
However, Umno showed no mercy to other local leaders like the party’s deputy chief Mohamed Sabu, better nown as Mat Sabu, and veep Mahfuz Omar, whose Islamic credentials and ability to win a seat were questioned.
Mahfuz, the Pokok Sena MP, was slammed for not building a mosque within the vicinity of Kuin (Kolej Universiti Insaniah, a state funded institution), although he was in charge of the RM330 million project to build the place.
Mat Sabu was painted as a weak and failed leader who couldn’t even win the Pendang MP seat he contested in the just concluded polls.
‘Choose the side that wins’
“So vote only for those who win. In fact, we have already won uncontested. We have Putrajaya and the state government of Kedah.
“Even if PAS wins they can’t do anything. So choose the side that wins, as it would be easier then to get things done, said Fuzin, flashing the development card at the voters who will go to polls on Nov 4.
It appears that Umno has a planned script for its speakers as other local leaders in different locations also touched on the same topics.
Another Umno leader, Suhaimi Shuib, poked fun at the previous PAS state government approval of licences for entertainment outlets during its rule.
He said he even stepped into a shady spa - to see for himself what was happening inside - so that he could speak at ceramahs about it.
“There was pole dancing in that spa,” he quipped, much to the amusement of his small audience.
“Azizan tried to ban these outlets but he was criticised by DAP leaders,” said Suhaimi.
Within PAS’ camp, the party’s president Abdul Hadi Awang (left) and Mat Sabu hopped from one operations centre to another to give their ceramah.
Generally, the atmosphere at PAS ceramahs, however, are more lively with colourful, lighted up food and merchandise stalls set up at the venue.
In his speeches, Abdul Hadi tried to impress the voters by flaunting party candidate Mohd Azam Samat’s religious lineage, while Mat Sabu tried to dispel the fears of the Malay community towards Pakatan’s rule.
Mohd Azam, 37, a religious school teacher is contesting against BN’s Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim, 52, a former Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris lecturer.
“Umno tells the Malays if Pakatan wins the federal government, the Chinese would rule the country.
“But how can they do it when they do not contest enough seats?” he asked.
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