PAS has stood by its deputy president Mohamad Sabu, despite the list of 10 things exposed by the Home Ministry yesterday purportedly "proving" he is a Shiite follower.

According to PAS secretary general Mustafa Ali, this is because the "evidence" presented was "shallow (dangkal)" and "weak".

"I was expecting solid evidence but what we saw was something really shallow...

"For example, visiting Iran. Many people do. I myself have gone there several times. So are those who visit China considered communists?

pas secretary general mustafa ali 2"What about Umno, which has a relationship with the Communist Party of China? Is Umno communist?" Mustafa (left) was quoted by the party's news portal Harakahdaily as saying.

He added that praising Iran revolution leader Ayatollah Khomeini, too, does not prove one is a Shiite or means  that one shares Khomeini's faith.

Thus, he said that the so-called expose is nothing more than Umno's move to discredit PAS.

Meanwhile, the party's president Abdul Hadi Awang rebutted that the PAS’ party constitution, in effect, stipulates that every PAS member must be a Sunni Muslim.

He said under Article 7(1), the highest authority for PAS members is the Quran, the Hadith, the consensus of ulamas, and clear analogies (Qiyas), which are the same authorities used by Sunnis.

“This provision is not present in any other party constitution, including Umno itself that is bandying about the Sunni school of Islam,” he said in a statement today.

Mat Sabu praise of Khomeini as proof

They was commenting on the Home Ministry's list of 10 things that prove Mohamad - better known as Mat Sabu - is a Shiite.

They include the fact that Mat Sabu has openly praised and cited Khomeini and frequently visits Iran as well as Shiite Lebanese leader Hasan Nasrullah.

The evidence cited were based on reports by news portals and Umno blog 'dukeofumno', quoting an unknown grassroots religious (pondok) teacher.

Citing interviews by the ministry with Mat Sabu's "long-time friend" in the last few days, it also alleges that he prays and recites the selawat (praises to Allah and the prophet) the "Shiite way".

The ministry also claimed Mat Sabu took "Shiite lessons" and had visited a Shiite mosque in Thailand.

The evidence was presented at a special press conference by the Home Ministry.

The press conference was called after Umno vice-president and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, at last Saturday's Umno general assembly, had endorsed action against the "PAS number two"

However, he has thus far refused to name Mat Sabu, leaving that to Home Ministry chief secretary Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi who held the press conference yesterday.