By Shannon TeohKUALA KRAI, July 7 — Kelantan Umno leaders attempted to reverse Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) rhetoric by claiming that it was PAS who has engaged in “divide and rule” tactics.
They also questioned the consistency of Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, accusing the PAS spriritual leader of flip-flopping over issues in an attempt to raise doubts among voters about the influential cleric who holds sway over the predominantly Malay Muslim state.
On the first night of official campaigning in the Manek Urai by-election, villagers in Kampung Laloh were sent a message that seemed to fly in the face of general perception.
Former Kelantan Umno chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa them that PAS is a party that wants to divide Malaysians and abuse Islam.
“PAS hates Umno, but Umno does not hate PAS. If we played politics of hate, as federal government, Umno would have flattened PAS long ago,” the former rural development minister said.
He added that the divisive politics of PAS might make it strong but it resulted in a weak government as it created enemies and disunity.
“But even if you do not vote for Umno, you are still our citizens and we still care for you. Now is not the time for divide and rule but to think of the future,” he said.
Annuar then acknowledged that Umno was weak but only because it did not use Islam for political gains and that it was due to racial politics that it suffered losses in last year’s general elections.
He then said that while non-Malays were now supporting PAS in droves, one must ask “why Malays support PAS when it weakens Malay political power.”
Instead, Annuar continued to try to reverse the general image of PAS by praising PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and his deputy Nasharuddin Mat Isa who had been supportive of unity government talks with Umno.
He said they had been “working for unity to solve national problems” and said that now that the “seeds of awareness had been planted”, he hoped this “progressive and moderate” faction in PAS would rise to the fore.
The statement seems designed to paint the anti-unity faction as Islamic extremists, instead of the common perception of them being more liberal than the pro-unity faction.
In contrast, Annuar said that the most vocal anti-unity leader, Nik Aziz, was a “pragmatic politician” who changed his tune according to circumstances.
“He used to want to join Barisan Nasional and praise the federal constitution but now he says it does not follow Islam.
“He called Umno kaffirs (heathens) for working with Chinese and Indians but now PAS has allied with PKR and DAP,” Annuar accused.
Current Kelantan Umno chief Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, who has swapped the post with Annuar several times in the past few years, also added that Nik Aziz had accused Umno of being communists and engaging in deviant teachings.
“But it is Tok Guru who rejected unity,” he claimed.
The international trade and industry minister also slammed PAS for using religion for political gains.
“PAS says if you do not vote for them, then you will not go to heaven. But what about people outside Malaysia? Will they all go to hell?
“This is not according to the scripture. They say Umno has rejected Islam but we go to the same mosques and follow the same commandments. These men are trying to deceive us in the search for power,” he said.
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