Party Se-Islam Malaysia (PAS) has condemned recent media reports  suggesting that Shiite teachings, often associated with the Iranian revolutionary movement, have infiltrated the party.

In a strongly-worded press statement, PAS said none of its leaders are Shiite followers and warned against politicising the Shiite/Sunni issue as it had to do with faith and understanding of Islam.

"PAS regrets the baseless wild accusations thrown at the party," PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man in said a press statement today.

"PAS' members must adhere to the Sunnah Wal Jamaah teachings. If there is a Shiite believer, then he is automatically excluded from being a member of the PAS."

Tuan Ibrahim said that PAS vehemently opposes any effort to bring the Shiite teachings into Malaysia as it can cause division among the Muslims and that it viewed the allegations against the party seriously.

"We welcome any evidence involving party members, which can be submitted to the party's disciplinary committee," he said.

Sinister

While a handful of PAS party leaders do have personal relationships with the leaders of Iran or the Middle East Islamic movements such as Hezbollah,this did not mean that they were Shiites, Tuan Ibrahim added.

Calling attempts to associate PAS with Shiite teachings a "sinister" move, the party said that perhaps there were some attempts to split the party ahead of its internal elections in November.

Berita Harian in a front page report today said some foreign students were spreading Shiite teachings in four public universities and that they were linked with plots to overthrow the federal government.

The daily had previously claimed that senior PAS leaders were also influenced by Shiite teachings as a result of their interest in revolutionary movements in the Middle East, in particular Iran.