Mat Sabus speech taken out of context by RTM, says PAS sec-gen

comments     Yap Mun Ching     Published     Updated

The speech by PAS member of parliament Mohamad Sabu which was aired several times on national television station RTM, has been taken out of context, a senior party leader said today.

PAS secretary-general Nasharudin Mat Isa ( left ) clarified when contacted that Mohamad's remarks were made some time ago during a ceramah (public talk) and "RTM should show the whole contents of the speech and not just part of it".

Since the speech was not aired in context, he added, PAS need not explain it.

Nasharudin was responding to a call made by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday for the party to justify why its leader had made remarks deemed to be insulting to the country's leadership.

Mohamad ( right ) reportedly said Mahathir was gila (crazy) and haprak (useless) during a PAS ceramah. A video clip of the ceramah has since been broadcasted several times on RTM in the run-up to the Pendang and Anak Bukit by-elections in Kedah.

On another matter raised by Mahathir that PAS does not have moral standing to question the proposed re-introduction of English into the education system because of their opposition to Malay "special rights", Nasharudin said the issue is not one of whether Malay should be used or otherwise.

Chinese also affected

"It is not only the Malays who are affected. I have read reports that Chinese schools are also protesting the move.

"If the Malays are not progressing fast enough even with the use of Malay in teaching, what would happen if they are taught in English? As for the Chinese education groups, this would also be denying their right to mother tongue education."

Nasharudin said the party is not against students acquiring third and fourth languages.

"Many of our leaders are bilingual or multi-lingual. We are for learning foreign languages. However, to blame language as a cause of [poor performance in schools] is wrong," he said.

Asked about allegations that a PAS supporter had flashed several Puteri Umno members and shown pornographic materials to local women, Nasharudin dismissed claims that the perpetrators were in any way connected with the party.

Let police investigate

"We deny that these people had anything to do with PAS. They have no evidence. Since a police report has been made, we should allow the police to investigate the matter," said the PAS MP for Yan, Kedah, who is currently campaigning with the party's acting president Abdul Hadi Awang in Pendang.

On the by-elections, Nasharudin described PAS' chances as "very positive".

"They (Barisan Nasional) will have a tough time based on the strong support that we have been receiving and the enthusiasm of our workers.

"The Barisan Nasional said we are getting aggressive but they are becoming even more aggressive. For example, they have distributed leaflets which are defamatory of PAS," he added.

Nasharudin said he will be heading for Anak Bukit with Hadi later today to continue on the final lap of the campaign. Polling day is on Thursday.

PAS' Dr Muhamad Hayati Osman, 45, will strive to maintain the party's hold on Pendang and fight off the challenge from Umno/BN's Othman Abdul, 51, who was the MP for the constituency before PAS took over.

The Anak Bukit state assembly by-election is also a straight fight between PAS — represented by engineer Amiruddin Hamzah, 40 — and Umno/BN — represented by former Kuala Kedah MP Zakaria Said, 58.

Both seats fell vacant following the death of PAS president Fadzil Noor on June 23.

The combined electorate in Pendang and Anak Bukit is comprised of 77,427 Malay Malaysians, 7,266 Chinese Malaysians, 6,189 Thai Malaysians and 1,012 Indian Malaysians.



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