PAS will not become like ayatollahs and place religious leaders beyond criticism as former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin fears,  party vice president Mahfuz Omar was reported saying.

Sinar Harian quoted Mahfuz saying that the party has never closed its doors to the views and criticisms of others, and this openness will continue to be a foundation of the party’s struggles.

NONE “I think Asri ( left ) was merely giving an honest and sincere reminder with no other intentions, and I appreciate that reminder.

“Even today, the mainstream media often twist the facts that we give, yet we have never gone into a rage but instead have given good and always positive responses,” Sinar quoted him saying.

The Malay daily also quoted another PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub agreeing with Mahfuz, saying that its members are free to air their views.

Asri when speaking at a forum on Tuesday warned that PAS should not emulate Iran’s ayatollahs or corruption would worsen.

' Excessive' response

Meanwhile, PAS ulama information chief Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh slammed the forum moderator’s question as unfair and Asri’s response as excessive.

He wrote in party organ Harakahdaily Online that the moderator did not substantiate his claim that PAS ulama could not be criticised, and pointed out that Iranians are Shia Muslims while Malaysian Muslims are followers of the Sunni school of Islam.

“The two schools are very different from one another. The Shia consider the ayatollah’s mandate to be higher than that of the prophets.

“Therefore, it is not strange that the ayatollah is beyond criticism and untouchable,” he said.

Nik Muhammad also said that his own comments should not imply that PAS' ulama wing cannot accept Asri's criticism, but it needs to be substantiated with evidence and examples.