Criticise DAP but labelling it ‘enemy of Islam’ is dangerous, says Marzuki

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's aide, Marzuki Mohamad, has voiced his disapproval of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang labelling the DAP as an "enemy of Islam". Marzuki warned that this provocative labeling is taking the country down an unhealthy path.

He explained that the rekindling of ties between Umno and PAS has led these two traditional rivals to create a common enemy in DAP. Marzuki believes this is a necessary tactic to maintain their renewed alliance and rally Malay support. However, he emphasized that political critique of the DAP is entirely acceptable, but demonizing the party and its supporters as enemies of Islam is a dangerous escalation.

Marzuki pointed out that this dangerous trajectory also inadvertently classifies around 75% of the nation's non-Muslim population as enemies of Islam. This dangerous narrative was recently highlighted by Hadi, who claimed that DAP is part of a "coloniser's work to destroy Malays and Muslims" due to its push for local council elections and its "Malay-Malaysia" vision.

DAP leaders and Wanita Amanah chief Aiman Athirah Sabu refuted Hadi's claims, daring him to bring the DAP to court if he had proof to support his allegations. Marzuki also noted that Umno and PAS, the two largest Malay-Muslim parties, engaged in a bitter "Islamisation race" in the 1970s and 1980s.

During this period, Hadi delivered a notorious speech branding Umno members as "kafir" (infidels) and the fight against the BN as a "jihad". This ideological conflict eventually subsided in the late 1990s when PAS forged an alliance with PKR and DAP to challenge Umno and BN's dominance.

Today, these former adversaries have repositioned themselves as "frenemies" under the banner of Malay-Muslim unity, according to Marzuki.