The son of PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has voiced support for Saturday's Himpun anti-apostasy rally despite the decision of the Islamic party's central body not to take part in it.

muktamar pas youth 020611 nik abduh Commenting on his blog, Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz ( right ), who is PAS Youth deputy chief, reiterated the wing's support for the rally to defend the akidah (faith) of Muslims.

The purpose, he said, was to "show solidarity in an effort to save and strengthen the faith of Muslims from being threatened by enemies of Islam that attempt to undermine their faith".

Abduh added that PAS as an Islamic party and Muslims as a whole hoped that the rally would be a good platform unite Muslims to maintain their strong faith.

"For PAS Youth, anything that can unite Muslims on the path of righteousness must be supported and cannot be abandoned. Muslim unity is a responsibility and duty that must be carried out with all our heart."

The statement comes after Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Abdul Rani Osman ordered its members not to take part in the rally in line with the central body's decision.

'Rally undermines 1Malaysia'

Meanwhile, a coalition of Indian NGOs, WargaAMAN, has called on Himpun to cancel its rally to prevent "racial tension".

Its secretary-general Barathidasan Saminathan said the rally would undermine Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's effort to promote the 1Malaysia concept for racial harmony.

In a press statement today, Barathidasan cited the police crackdown on the July 9 rally by electoral reform group Bersih 2.0 and blasted the police for "double standards" by allowing the Himpun rally to go ahead.

"WargaAMAN calls on the BN government and police to be fair as they did when they acted to foil the Bersih 2.0 rally. The same action must be taken against the organisers of Himpun."

Barathidasan also raised suspicion that the rally was being exploited to create religious and racial tension.

'No ulterior motives'

However, a coalition of student NGOs defended the rally, reiterating that there was no motive other than to defend the faith of Muslims.

The coalition, made up of the National Muslim Youth Association (Pembina), All Malaysia Muslim Undergraduates Movement (Gamis), Peninsular Malay Students Coalition (GPMS) and the Student Representative Council (MPP) called on students to support the rally.

"We see Christianising as a critical issue that cannot be compromised...

"Even though there are only one or two Muslims who have become apostates, all Muslims must be aware and rise to prevent this," Pembina deputy president Ibrahim Mohd Hassan said in a statement today.

Himpun, he added, intended to send a clear message of protest and warning to anyone whose action or speech insults Islam and erodes the faith of Muslims.

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