PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu has dared Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to reveal the timing of the next general election so as to enable Muslims to plan their haj pilgrimage in September.

NONE If not, Najib risks taking on the sins of Muslims planning the trip but cannot because of the confusion over the polls date, Mohamad, who is widely known as Mat Sabu, said.

"The sins of Muslims who want to fulfil the haj but have to keep guessing in making preparations, their families' anxiety... This is the responsibility of the prime minister," he said in an interview with fledgling online radio channel Radio Bangsar Utama last night.

Stressing that Najib still had until next year to call for elections, Mat Sabu dared the premier to make the date known immediately.

While Najib may already be bearing many sins, he surely will not want to take on an even bigger one, the PAS leader joked.

It is acceptable if the haj is delayed for elections, as organising the nation's affairs is more important, he said, citing the example of the 1986 general election.

Coincidently, he stood in Permatang Pauh against Anwar Ibrahim, before the latter was sacked from Umno, Mat Sabu recalled.

If the general election coincided with the haj season, however, Najib must give Muslims proper notice so they will know when to delay their trip.

"As for whether to delay (haj) or not, I agree that the importance of administering the country is more important.

"But Najib will be responsible for the sins for causing confusion among the people, because his is the prerogative (to call for polls)," he added.