PAS, Umno clerics dispatch 'angels' to clash over Anwar's pay cheque

A war of words has erupted over Anwar Ibrahim’s declaration that he would not accept salaries as the prime minister and finance minister.

The squabble took a divine turn when two religious personalities - PAS number two Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and Umno’s Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali - joined in.

Pointing out that even Prophet Muhammad accepted what Allah had provided, Tuan Ibrahim (above, left) quipped that Anwar must therefore be a malaikat or angel.

However, Khairuddin, a former PAS ulama council member, claimed that Tuan Ibrahim could be using this line of argument to defend the salaries and allowances for PAS former minister, menteris besar, exco members and elected representatives.

“If that is the case, the PAS leadership must feel compassion for Pasti workers who are not paid or given allowances because PAS Youth had classified them as volunteers.

“Perhaps, the teachers in Pasti are ‘malaikat’, who do not eat or drink, have no homes or vehicles and fly around with their wings.

“The same can be said for the workers in the PAS office, who are paid a pittance of RM400, RM500 a month. Perhaps, they are ‘malaikat’ too,” he added in a Facebook post.

Pasti or Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) is a chain of Islamic kindergartens linked to PAS.

Earlier this year, Pasti landed in the spotlight over claims that staff were paid below minimum wage and the employers were not contributing to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organisation (Socso).

Tuan Ibrahim’s sarcasm

Khairuddin, who now heads the Umno Ulama council, said Tuan Ibrahim’s sarcasm was aimed at Pasti teachers and PAS workers who sacrificed their incomes in the name of the struggle.

“So, Pasti teachers do not take salaries in the name of the struggle just like how the prime minister has volunteered not to take salaries in the name of his struggle.

“Don’t the teachers of Pasti feel hurt (by Tuan Ibrahim’s sarcasm)? I feel hurt as well because I am the voluntary religious adviser to the deputy prime minister,” he added.

Yesterday, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin also raised doubts about Anwar’s announcement, claiming that the latter needed to eat.

He said the prime minister should come clean about whether he still receives income from other sources, like allowances from government-linked companies (GLCs).

“There is a difference. It’s true he is not taking his salaries, but how about allowances? And where do these allowances come from? Because there are allowances that come from GLCs and such.

“If he really wants to do it, he should announce that he is receiving zero income instead. But if he gets zero income, what is he going to eat?” he added.

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