PAS must choose whether the party wants to defend Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak or condemn him over his alleged involvement in the 1MDB scandal, said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said PAS cannot defend Najib ( photo ) and yet at the same time, condemn 1MDB, which had allegedly transferred RM2.6 billion into the PM’s private accounts, as reported by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

 

“This shows how much PAS has changed under its new leadership. One cannot support Najib and condemn 1MDB at the same time, PAS must choose,” Lim said at a press conference today.

“If PAS wants to be with the PM, it is the party’s right but we leave it to the people to judge the new PAS,” he added.

Lim was referring to remarks by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang who distanced himself from condemning Najib over the controversial WSJ report, which the PM had denied.

Hadi now leads a team of ulama aligned to him, who defeated the progressives like former deputy chief Mohamed Sabu at the party's internal polls in June.

Najib’s lawyers have shot an email to WSJ to demand that the US-based financial paper confirm its explosive report, which sent Malaysians reeling with suspicion when it was published on Friday.

Lim shocked by Hadi’s defence of Najib

Lim said he was “shocked” by Hadi likening Najib’s alleged corrupt practises with PKR defacto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy conviction, where the latter is currently serving a five-year jail sentence in Sungai Buloh.

Lim declined to comment about Anwar’s ( photo ) case, saying it involved the character of a person.

“I am shocked by Hadi’s defence of Najib, saying like in Anwar’s case, there should be four witnesses.

“If corruption cases also needed four witnesses, then many are free to commit corruption, most of the cases involving corruption are transacted via computers.

“And if PAS thinks that four witnesses are enough, this is not what we see in other Islamic countries,” he said.

Hadi, however, did not say that four witnesses were needed to support the WSJ allegations against Najib.

He was quoted as saying by Astro Awani that just like Anwar’s sodomy case, there must be just witnesses in claims involving Najib.

Najib is not an “angel but an ordinary human being” and the allegations of financial embezzlement against him must be verified, Hadi had said.

“Our stand is that of Islam. If Anwar’s sodomy claims must have four witnesses, the same goes for Najib, there must be witnesses, fair witnesses,” he was quoted as saying by the TV station.

Lim said it was up to Hadi to interpret the Islamic law but his defence of Najib was akin to PAS spiritual leader Haron Din ( photo ) remarks that the allegations against the PM defied logic.

“The two top PAS leaders defend Najib although the party condemns the 1MDB scandal. This is not logical, one faction of PAS seem to support Najib, another condemns the 1MDB.

“Just like PAS decided to sever ties with DAP but still wants to remain in Pakatan Rakyat,” he stressed, referring to PAS muktamar in Selangor in early June which decided to cut ties with its ally in Pakatan.

Lim added that PAS also said it is against the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) but wants a unity government with Umno.

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