Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said how he chooses to tackle the issue of the bai'ah (oath of loyalty) with PAS is between him and God, and critics should stay out of the matter.

"Others should not interefere. We are doing this kafarah as it is contained in the Quran and the rest we leave it to Allah," he told journalists last night after holding a charity dinner last night.

Khalid held the dinner reception as 'payment' for breaking his religious oath after he joined Gerakan Harapan Baru, which is in the midst of setting up a new party called Parti Amanah Negara.

Some 40 villagers from his constituency were treated to mutton and chicken curry, pickled cucumber and milk tea as kafarah, a religious donation carried for breaking their fasting or an oath.

The needy were also given financial donations during the event last night.

The event was held jointly with Kota Raja MP Siti Mariah Mahmud and two other PAS Shah Alam local councillors.

However Siti Mariah was absent as she had to attend another function.

Khalid was responding to PAS spiritual leader Haron Din who said the defected PAS MPs cannot compensate the breaking of their oath to PAS with kafarah.

Tuan Ibrahim: Stop public spat

Today, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said even though the PAS MP gave kafarah, it did not absolve them from the promise made to PAS.

However he urged that the matter not to be perpetuated in the public sphere.

"The best authority to decide is the syariah courts as it involves syariah law," he said in a statement.

All PAS representatives are required to take a religious oath in order to contest under the party's banner.

However, the penalties differ from state to state, and Kelantan and Terengganu are the most controversial as they require the oath-takers to divorce their wives if they break it.

Following the tit-for-tat between PAS and their former members that has for example been widely reported by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, PKR's religious understanding bureau chief Mohd Nor Manuty also weighed into the issue.

He said requiring divorce for breaking a religious oath was against the principles syariah law.

"It is clear from the perspective of maqasid syariah (the higher objectives of syariah), maintaining the family institution and honour is of utmost importance.

"Therefore, the harmony of a family should not be put up as a bet for the survival of any political parties or group," he said in a statement today.

Others who have criticised PAS for insisting on the divorce of some of PAS' Amanah breakaways include Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin and MCA Wanita national chairperson Heng Seai Kie .

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