It is not DAP but rather PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's "religious extremism" that constitutes the "greatest threat" to the country, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said.

Lim said this in taking the PAS chief to task for labelling DAP an enemy to Islam in the latter's social media posting yesterday.

"I have always believed that political Islam in Malaysia can only succeed in winning the support of Malaysians, both Muslim and non-Muslim, by demonstrating that it is fully committed to the principles of justice, freedom, democracy and good governance.

“But Hadi has decided to take a completely different path, preaching religious extremism and even supporting Malaysia becoming a global kleptocracy, betraying moderate Islam by manipulating and distorting Islam’s true teaching.

"It is not DAP but Hadi’s religious extremism which is the greatest threat to Malaysia as represented by the Malaysian Constitution and the Rukun Negara," Lim said in a statement today.

The Iskandar Puteri lawmaker reiterated that DAP had never been anti-Malay or anti-Islam and described Hadi's accusation as a "lie and falsehood".

"In fact, nobody can claim to be a Malaysian if he or she is anti-Malay, anti-Chinese, anti-Indian, anti-Kadazan, anti-Iban or anti-Orang Asli or anti-Islam, anti-Buddhism, anti-Christianity, anti-Hinduism, anti-Sikhism or anti-Taoism, for Malaysia is a nation of diverse races and religions.

"Previous PAS leaders Fadzil Noor and former Kelantan menteri besar and PAS Mursyidul Am head Nik Aziz Nik Mat (photo, below) never regarded DAP as an 'enemy of Islam'," Lim added.

He cited inter-religious dialogues held with PAS back when DAP and PAS formed the Barisan Alternatif opposition bloc in 1999.

He said: "This 'journey of a thousand miles' must be continued for DAP leaders have always believed that Malaysia should be an international showcase of inter-civilisational dialogue, tolerance and understanding, instead of being an example of a clash of civilisations."

'Lost concepts'

Lim further challenged MCA president Wee Ka Siong to respond to the matter after the latter defended the cooperation between PAS and BN component parties as a common practice among opposition parties.

In a Facebook posting yesterday, Hadi said PAS had severed ties with parties that were hostile towards Islam and Islamic leadership.

"The same goes to PAS leaders and members who have placed their struggles on wrong and lost concepts, who are not steadfast with Islam, leave behind Islamic struggles and who bend before the enemies of Islam and their followers... just to gain power and position," Hadi posted.

PAS and DAP were both members of opposition blocs Barisan Alternatif from 1999 to 2001 and Pakatan Harapan's predecessor, Pakatan Rakyat, from 2008 to 2015.

Pakatan Rakyat fell apart in 2015 amid differences over the hudud issue, while PAS splinter party Amanah later joined Harapan.