INTERVIEW Critics of PAS should not smear the names of late president Fadzil Noor and the late spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat by saying the Islamist party has strayed from its teachings, a PAS vice-president says.

Speaking to Malaysiakini in an interview at the office of the PAS journal Harakah on Monday, Idris Ahmad said it was slander to say that both the former leaders had not placed emphasis on Islam.

"That is slander to both the Tok Guru who have passed on, that they did not prioritise Islam or policies of the party.

"The syura council is the same, the book is the same, the constitution is the same… to say that we strayed is to slander those two. Have respect for them," Idris ( photo ) said.

He added these critics have forgotten how strict Nik Aziz and Fadzil were when as party leaders.

Idris was alluding to accusations that the current PAS leadership had  strayed from the teachings of Nik Aziz and Fadzil, a common criticism from the party's progressive faction, which is mulling the formation of a new party after the progressive leaders were defeated in the PAS elections early last month.

They claim that PAS has become more insular under president Abdul Hadi Awang.

This is on top of perception that the Dewan Ulama of PAS, the members of whom won the leadership elections, are more concerned with the hereafter than on winning in politics.

'Weak, naive politics'

"These are accusations made by Umno against Nik Aziz when he became Kelantan menteri besar in 1990.

"Now these people who claim to be anti-Umno are using Umno rhetoric from the 1990s. Umno doesn't have to attack us anymore because someone else is doing it for them," Idris said.

He added if PAS did not want to win in politics, they would travel with the tabligh (preachers) instead of holding ceramah and meeting with the media and so on.

Idris said much of the negative perception towards the current PAS leadership is simply that - perception.

"Which is why when we have closed-door meetings, we let them say what they are not happy with. We have no problems with answering them, and sometimes what they say is all perception," he claimed.

The Bukit Gantang MP also took a swipe at critics of Hadi ( photo ).

"Hadi can't drink tea (with Umno), but it is okay for others. Najib can't visit Hadi, but he can visit others.

"That is weak, naive politics. If that is how they think, then it is they who are conservatives, not the ulama," he argued.