COMMENT PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s explanation why PAS lawmakers did not raise the placard, ‘Mana RM2.6 billion?’ (Where is the RM2.6 billion?) is simply laughable, to say the least!

In making the remarks, Hadi was essentially insulting half a million Malaysians who went on the streets of Kuala Lumpur with their yellow T-shirts, risking arrest and perhaps even their lives to possible ‘police brutality’.

In other words, he was saying that PAS supporters and their lawmakers who mobilised them were equally uncivilised when they organised the anti-Goods and Services Tax (GST) demonstration and joined Bersih in its past rallies. In short, anyone who had gone on the street to protest, was uncivilised, irrespective of whether he holds a doctorate degree or a Puan Sri title.

This, coming out from the president of the eastern states-based Islamic party, is really obnoxious. Who does the PAS ulama think he is by calling others uncivilised? In the first place, holding up a placard in the Parliament has nothing to do with street protest.

It is not as if PAS has spoken out strongly against corruption in this country, but its ‘elegant silence’ is now suspect. We are asking why all the concessions for logging in the state of Kelantan that eventually caused the massive flood that hit Kelantan? Is Hadi now saying that those who protested against illegal logging in Kelantan are uncivilised?

Which is better?

Which is better - to fight corruption as a lawmaker and be called uncivilised, or appearing religious and pious but the heart is full of deceit and corruption?

In fact, since the 1MDB ‘black hole’ first appeared, Hadi had not even spoken out harshly against the people involved in the scandal. What is the voice of PAS as a political party that is supposed to uphold the laws of God in a country where people continue to get away with one scandal after another?

What former Umno minister Zaid Ibrahim ( photo ) said is very true , and I quote: “Because Malays, generally speaking, do not feel the sense of anger or revulsion against leaders who are corrupt, or who steal from state coffers.”

Stealing from the state coffers appears to be all right, but the so-called challenging the Malay dignity becomes a reason to go to war - and a civil war, that is - going by the speech made by former Malacca chief minister Ali Rustam.

Zaid’s entire article is worth the read. Being Malay, Zahid has hit the nail on the head. This is better said by a Malay and a Muslim; else, the non-Malays like me could even be accused of challenging Malay dignity (and what a joke!) by pointing people to the truth.

I was going to dispute Zaid until I read Hadi’s explanation. My contention is that not all Malays fall into Zaid’s description, but Hadi has just confirmed that this may after all be true.

For my Malay friends who felt slighted by Zaid’s comments, do not be offended, instead ask yourself whether you are taking responsibility in the way how this country is run and money (including borrowed money) has simply gone missing.

I wish that your anger would rise against even someone with the initials of JL, a fellow Chinese, who has apparently gone missing despite being sought after by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for questioning.

Now, coming from a religious background like Hadi Awang, I would have expected him to be the first amongst others to speak up against corruption; instead, Hadi is a real disappointment. From day one, he had stayed away from the controversy that has fallen on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. Why?

Hadi did not only remain silent on the 1MDB scandal, but as far as the record goes, I do not think he has spoken up against the GST which is now a burden to all Malaysians.

State seat once an Umno stronghold

During the last general election, I was one of those who voted for PAS in my constituency. After the election was over, the state assemblyperson Mohd Khairuddin Othman has simply gone ‘missing-in-action.’

Despite emails and photographs showing the need to repair some playground equipment in my housing estate, Khairuddin and his PKR councillor Zulnizam Shahrani have not even responded after nearly a year; and repair work has not even begun. The playground equipment has been there for over 15 years.

Khairuddin should realise that his state seat was once an Umno stronghold since Merdeka and he would not have won without the support of the people whose sentiments against Barisan Nasional were highest during the last general election.

Now, with the GST, and Najib still riding high amidst the 1MDB scandal, the people’s sentiments are still strongly against BN. I am sure it will also not give PAS a chance since Hadi appears to be dancing to the tune of the ruling coalition, despite denying that it will form a unity government with Umno.

Thankfully, there will be the Amanah party which split from PAS. Amanah should seriously look at a candidate for the state constituency now, and put him in the forefront.

This is traditionally an Umno seat, but Amanah has a good chance of keeping the seat by splitting Malay votes in Paya Jeras and still winning the Chinese and Indian votes in other areas within the constituency. What we need is a state assemblyperson who would respond to the people, not one who sings to the moon only during the elections.

As Hadi ( photo ) has put it bluntly - PAS can go it alone! Let it go alone, and become the jaguh kampung (village champion) that it used to be. As Zaid has said, PAS can only be effective in its influence in Kelantan, and maybe as far as Kedah and Terengganu.

But that was during the late ‘Tok Guru’ Nik Aziz Nik Mat’s time. After Nik Aziz’s demise, I suspect PAS has totally lost its direction and the departure of the Erdogans from the party to form Amanah has only weakened the PAS that we knew under Tok Guru.

Next general election, I can imagine Hadi having a good time trying to win the hearts of people in Terengganu, where he was a former menteri besar at the height of Barisan Alternatif where the Anwar Ibrahim factor was strong.

Today, the Anwar factor is still strong, but support from Pakatan supporters will now be with Amanah. This is because PAS, in the past, has never proven themselves to be of any earthly use.

Even Kedah, which was won by Pakatan Rakyat in 2008, never returned to the coalition after it was administered by a PAS lawmaker.

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.