KUALA LUMPUR: PAS declared yesterday that it rejected the communist ideology and struggle and said it did not deny Umno’s role in fighting for the country’s independence.
This statement by the party’s secretary-general, Datuk Mustafa Ali, was in direct contrast to the statement attributed to deputy president Mohamad Sabu recently.
Mohamad had allegedly praised communist terrorists and discredited the country’s security forces when commenting on the former’s killing of 25 policemen and their families in the tragedy at the Bukit Kepong police station near Muar in Johor in 1950.
Mustafa told a news conference at the party headquarters here that the struggle for independence was fought in two ways —through ‘confrontation and peaceful cooperation’.
He explained that the confrontation against the British colonialists began way back during the time of Malay warriors such as Datuk Maharajalela (in Perak), Datuk Bahaman (Pahang), Dol Said (Melaka and Negeri Sembilan), Tok Janggut (Kelantan) and many others.
Mustafa said today’s statement reflected the official stand of PAS after the party had looked at the statement attributed to Mohamad.
Mohamad, who was present at the news conference, said Tunku Abdul Rahman and Onn Jaafar were rightly freedom fighters, but added that other freedom fighters should also be grouped with them.
Mohamad also said that the police had asked him to give a statement two days ago over his speech made in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, on the matter. — Bernama