Sabah Pakatan chief condemns use of religious sentiment in political debate over parliamentary agreement

KOTA KINABALU, November 4 — Sabah Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Mustapha Sakmud has cautioned political entities against using religious sentiment as a tool to undermine opponents' strategies following remarks that linked parliamentary democracy to the concept of an end-times figure. The Minister for the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) expressed disapproval of a statement made by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, who was accused of equating the Confidence and Supply Agreement (CSA) strategy with the "Dajjal," a term unfamiliar and potentially confusing to Muslims in Sabah.

Mustapha emphasized that political debates should be conducted rationally within the parameters of parliamentary democracy, rather than utilizing religious sentiment to discredit ideological dissidents. The CSA has been previously employed when PAS was part of the federal government, prompting questions regarding the negative connotations associated with the mechanism.

Mustapha underscored the significance of religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity in fostering unity within Sabah's multicultural society, asserting that portraying fellow Muslims negatively due to differing political views is both unfamiliar and unacceptable. He urged all Sabahans to maintain the harmony they have historically experienced and strongly reject political practices that exploit religion for partisan gain, while also encouraging all parties to find common ground in ensuring the well-being of the populace.