A PAS delegate has likened the silence of mainstream ulama, especially state muftis who failed to voice their objections to the sex video tape scandal against Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, to the devil.

This is because while prepared to breathe fire and brimstone over comparatively petty issues, they remain mute in the face of the character assassination of public figures committed by the powerful.

"They are like Syaitan the Damned. Indeed, they are worse then Syaitan the Damned," said the delegate from Ipoh Barat, Nor Azli Musa, when debating a Dewan Ulama motion to condemn the government and mainstream ulama for their inaction of the sex video scandal.

NONE He singled out Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria ( right ), in particular, who he labelled in derision as a "poco-poco mufti" and a "yoga mufti".

"He can issue a fatwa on those issues but he remained silent on the slander of the sex video, which is a worse issue," thundered the delegate.

Nor Azli was debating in support of the motion tabled by ulama representative Mohd Fadzil Mohd Noor calling for the muktamar to condemn the seeming collusion of the Malaysian government and mainstream ulamas in the sex video caper, whose silence can be interpreted as tacit approval for the whole business.

The motion was passed unanimously by the roughly 1,100 assembled delegates.

'Harussani did not agree'

Amidst the apparent silence on the video scandal then brewing, Harussani was reported to have classed the seemingly innocuous 'poco-poco' dance as being religiously reprehensible .

NONE The National Fatwa Council declined to follow suit and okayed the dance so long as it did not involve the rituals of other religions, violate proper conduct between men and women and modest attire was worn.

Harussani was reported to have said that he did not agree with the sex video and slander against Anwar, and told a news portal that Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia had only printed a one-sided version of his views on the sex video in their interview with him.

Most of the mainstream ulama, however, have thus far remained silent on the assault on Anwar's character through the public airing of sodomy and other sexual allegations against the former Umno leader in the mainstream press.

This incident and others in the past have led to the opposition to coin the term "ular dalam semak" (snakes in the grass) for the mainstream media, in a play on the word ‘ulama’ .

'Befriending brigands'

Speaking in support of the motion, PAS central working committee member Hanipah Maidin, joked that this was the way of Umno.

"In PAS we befriend the wise ulama, in Umno the (mainstream) ulama becomes friends with brigands," he said.

He further alleged that the level of depravity of Umno and its agents are such that even "the Devil will doff his hat at them".

Hanipah accused the Malay party of abandoning Islamic teachings and making up their own along the way without regard for good or bad.

Despite labeling themselves as Muslims, they had now become "parasites" that gave Islam a bad name, said Hanipah.

Clips of the video showing a man purported to be Anwar in hotel room moments before and after a sexual tryst with an alleged sex worker, have been shown in the media .

NONE Businessman Shazryl Eskay Abdullah (right) and two Umno leaders have owned up to being behind the first screening of the video at a luxury hotel in Kuala Lumpur in March this year.

Police have classified the case under Section 292 of the Penal Code, which relates to the distribution or exhibition of obscene material.

PAS ulama not exempt from attacks

But mainstream ulamas are not alone in being criticised both within and without the party for lackng "aggression" and effectiveness.

Even PAS ulama have not escaped the scathing criticisms against religious clerics, which some quarters have cited as being reflected in the rise of those coming from non-religious education backgrounds.

NONE The purported 'Erdogans', in particular, made a clean sweep of the deputy president's post and the three vice presidencies.

Activist and firebrand Mohamad Sabu won the deputy president post while Erdogans Mahfuz Omar, Husam Musa and Salahuddin Ayob won the three vice presidencies.

Dewan Ulama vice chief Mahfodz Mohamed, however, came out to defend the PAS ulama's non-aggressive stance.

"The is the way of the ulama. We practice tawaduk (humbleness). However, not aggressive doesn't mean that we are not doing our work. We ulama do a lot of work, especially in of tarbiyyah (education and training) of party members."

In PAS, the ulama and professionals work hand in hand and each have a role to play, said Mahfodz.