Hadi parries criticism from 4 ‘uneducated’ Malay DAP leaders

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has dismissed four Malay DAP leaders as "uneducated" following their criticism of his leadership. The leaders accused Hadi of exploiting Islam for political gain and claimed he wanted to steer the constitution back towards secular rule. Hadi responded by stating that his stance is firmly rooted in Islamic scripture, the Federal Constitution, and previous statements from DAP leaders.

He accused DAP of attempting to return to secularism and glorify the Communist Party of Malaya's struggle. Hadi also alleged that the proposed Urban Renewal Act aimed to evict poor Malays from their homes in the name of urban renewal. He argued that secularism is a deviant teaching brought by Western colonizers. The four DAP leaders, Syahredzan Johan, Young Syefura Othman, Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, and Syerleena Abdul Rashid, questioned why their disagreements with PAS didn't prevent them from collaborating under Pakatan Rakyat from 2008 to 2015.

Hadi explained that while PAS and DAP had common ground, their alliance principle required that partners not oppose PAS's policies. The Pakatan Rakyat coalition dissolved after DAP opposed the PAS-led Kelantan government's ban on Muslim alcohol consumption and the enactment of a state shariah criminal law.