Asokan Perumal, who heads PAS’ non-Muslim supporters club in Penang, will not be pressured to leave the party just because of the ‘insulting’ words of an Islamic preacher.

Asokan said several parties including the MIC had urged him to leave PAS, but he will not do so as the preacher, Shahul Hamid, has issued a public apology .

“I see no point in taking this further. Such words spoken by Shahul which insulted the Hindu religion should be the first and last by any preacher,” he told Malaysiakini .

“My soul is with PAS because I follow a religious path. PAS has never asked me to convert, or to become a Muslim,” added the information chief of the national PAS non-Muslim supporters club.

“I will continue the struggle of Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat ( left ) in PAS. He was quick to defuse the issue (with the Hindu community) by putting up photos of me and him in the social media,” said Asokan, who is the godson of the former Kelantan menteri besar.

 

Shahul incurred the wrath of the Hindu community when a video clip of his religious lecture went viral on the Internet.

Several groups including MIC rallied against him in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, while 400 police reports were lodged against him.

In the clip, he was heard telling Muslims not to buy curry powder products from what he deemed as ‘Hindu’ companies, such as Alagappa’s and Baba’s.

Shahul, a Tanjong division PAS member, has since apologised for his remark, promising never to do such acts again, while the party has distanced itself from the preacher’s remarks.

Asokan does not deny that he felt hurt by Shahul’s actions, saying he was shocked when he saw the video clips on the matter.

“I am a Hindu researcher and have done a lot of studies about Hinduism. I was shocked over Shahul’s statement,” said Asokan.

“But after he apologised, what to do, every religion says whenever someone makes a mistake and apologises, we have to forgive them,” Asokan added.

Meanwhile, MIC continues to urge the police to act on Shahul.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that MIC Youth chief C Sivarrajh said the party was ready to work with the police to ensure such acts do not recur.

Last Friday, Shahul was picked up by the police and gave his statement at the Bandar Perda police station.

Bernama reported that the police are investigating Shahul’s remarks under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.