PAS’ Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad slammed deputy minister Mashitah Ibrahim today for “diabolically” attacking PKR’s Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.

NONE Referring to a transcript of Mashitah’s statement in the Dewan Rakyat this morning, Dzulkefly ( left ) said that the deputy minister had without investigations accused Nurul Izzah of not only encouraging apostasy among Muslims but of denigrating Islam.

“This is diabolical and incredible ( dahsyat ), it’s too incredible for me. She...is alluding that Nurul is inviting Muslims to leave the religion. Where did she find, in Nurul’s statement, that understanding?

“You can stretch to the limits the construction of the sentence, and still you will not be able to find that she invited Muslims to leave the religion. That was when I could not stand it any more,” said the MP, who challenged Mashitah in the Dewan Rakyat earlier.

Dzulkefly added that by saying that Nurul Izzah can be charged with maligning Islam, Mashitah had also acted as if she is the prosecutor and by mentioning the punishment if found guilty, “the pronouncement was complete”.

The deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic affairs earlier said that Nurul Izzah can be charged as such as there is no provision in the law to deal with Muslims who encourage other Muslims to leave the religion.

Willing to explain to the sultan

Responding to the Selangor Sultan's reported disappointment with Nurul Izzah's alleged statement, Dzulkefly said he was willing to meet with the sultan to explain the situation.

“I am availing myself to do this as I am a Selangor MP and I am close with the sultan. He is very humane. He may have received the wrong information, perhaps from news reports,” he said.

The PAS women's wing has also come out in defence of Nurul Izzah, saying that her statement was “extended and extrapolated”.

NONE “Those who commented were not there and only commented based on news reports. For something so serious, we cannot do so,” PAS Muslimat deputy chief Siti Mariah Mahmud ( left ) said.

Siti Mariah said the Muslimat wing had consulted Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa, who was at the same forum as Nurul Izzah that day and he had clarified the matter.

“Nurul Izzah had cited the Quran in saying there is no compulsion in Islam but she made a caveat that those who are Muslims are subject to the syariah.

“She did not say Malays are free to choose their religion or to support apostacy. This was confirmed by Mujahid, who was also surprised by the turn of events,” Siti Mariah said.

She said those who faulted Nurul Izzah had done so without understanding the context in which the statement was made.

“It was perhaps fine to comment immediately after, but not after she had already issued a denial and clarification.

“The accusation does not make sense. She is a Muslim woman who prays five times a day, observes the hijab and fasts. She practices Islam,” she added.

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