Faizal has got it all wrong on Hadi, rebuts Kit Siang

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has called out Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s recent defence of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s racial rhetoric.

Faizal (above, right), who is the Bersatu deputy president, previously said he is sure Hadi had his reasons for making remarks alleged to be stirring racial unrest.

“Faizal is very wrong. Hadi has no reasons and that is why he has not been able to substantiate his seven wild and preposterous allegations against DAP and me for as long as six months,” Lim said in a statement today.

He questioned whether any “responsible, honest and respected” Islamic leader would have propagated allegations without evidence for as long as six months.

Lim (above) also asked how can he be “anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-royalty, a communist and promoting Islamophobia” when it was Hadi and other PAS leaders who approached him in 2014 to suggest that Pakatan Rakyat at the time replace Anwar Ibrahim with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as the prime minister-designate of the coalition.

He also said Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had met him in 2016 asking for DAP’s support for the latter to become prime minister, though Lim said he declined the request as DAP was committed to Anwar as its prime ministerial candidate.

“Did I become anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-royalty, communist and promoting Islamophobia because DAP and I did not agree in 2014 that Hadi be the prime minister or in 2016 that Muhyiddin be the prime minister?” he asked.

Both Hadi and Muhyiddin have not denied that they had such meetings with him even though he has brought it up before, he noted.

If Hadi truly believes in his remarks, Lim said he should have lodged a report with the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) Islamophobia Observatory or brought up his allegations against DAP in Parliament.

Lim said Malaysia is categorised as a “less polarised” country with deep divisions in the Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2023 and as such, efforts must be taken to ensure the country does not become extremely divided.

“We must not allow irresponsible leaders like Hadi to plunge Malaysia into the other three categories where polarisation becomes severe with entrenched deep divisions.

“This is why the government must take firm action against Hadi for his reckless statements calculated to disturb and polarise racial peace and religious tolerance in Malaysia,” he said.

Several attacks

In an interview with Malaysiakini, Faizal said Hadi’s remarks stem from the latter’s own experiences, especially with DAP.

“I am of the view that everyone has their own opinions. And their opinions are formed based on individual experiences.

“I am sure that he has a reason for why he has said those things. I myself will say that DAP sometimes acts as if it champions the issues and problems of a specific race,” Faizal said.

Late last year, around the time of the 15th general election (GE15), Hadi launched several attacks against DAP, accusing the party of being Islamophobic and pro-communists.

The PAS president also made the controversial claim that non-Muslims and non-Bumiputera make up the bulk of the “roots of corruption” in Malaysia.

Pakatan Harapan politicians have repeatedly lodged police reports against Hadi’s claims which they alleged were provocative and could disrupt, destabilise and destroy racial harmony in the country.

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