Former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa said the meeting between the Malaysian prime minister and scholars in Mecca, Saudi Arabia recently focused on the Muslim community and did not touch on Umno or PAS.

“I am surprised that ever since before, speculations will crop up that I will leave PAS and join Umno each time there is a meeting. Where did I ever make a statement that I will leave PAS or join Umno?” he said when met at the KL International Airport upon his arrival from Jeddah.

He was commenting on the criticisms by several quarters in PAS after a local newspaper published a photograph of him and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in a meeting with scholars in conjunction with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) extraordinary summit in Saudi Arabia.

Yesterday, Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat was reported as saying he would not be surprised if Nasharudin left the party, because Mohd Asri Muda, who had helmed PAS for decades, had also joined Umno.

He said it was better that Nasharudin quit rather than pose problems to the party.

Nasharudin, today, urged those making false accusations and speculations against him on the meeting in Mecca to fear, and seek forgiveness, from Allah, specifically in the final days of Ramadan.

He said he was invited to Mecca on a special visa by his acquaintances who were Islamic scholars in conjunction with the last 10 days of Ramadan, and the opportunity was used by the scholars to ask him to arrange for a meeting with Najib.

“I contacted the Prime Minister’s Office, they said okay, that was why the meeting was held,” he said, adding the discussions, among others, touched on the issue of Syria and Rohingya and was held at an acquaintance’s villa near the Masjidil Haram.

According to Nasharudin, the scholars mentioned the role that could be played and the numerous achievements of Malaysia, other than exhorting the prime minister that Malaysia continued to preserve the sanctity of Islam.

- Bernama