KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday labelled PAS as a political party promoting deviant teachings when responding to a remark that the prayers of Umno members were rewardless because their party had rejected Islamic principles.
He said PAS stood for “Parti Ajaran Sesat” and not Parti Islam SeMalaysia.
Muhyiddin said he was most disappointed with the remark by PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.
“Nik Aziz claims to be a religious scholar but he seems to act like God. He issues fatwa (edicts) claiming that Umno members will not be rewarded because Umno rejects Islam, does not champion Islam.
“This is not the first time that PAS and Nik Aziz have issued fatwa penalising Umno. Umno members have been labelled infidels in the Amanat Haji Hadi (Haji Hadi Message). This is proof enough that PAS is Parti Ajaran Sesat, and not Parti Islam SeMalaysia,” he said.
Muhyiddin called on the people to reject PAS and its leaders so as not to fall prey to what he described as the deviant teachings of the party.
“If you follow the teachings of PAS, you will go astray. More so when Nik Aziz uses religion for politics and to mislead.
“Umno has been championing Islam for a long time. If I were to elaborate, you reporters will run out of pages in your notebooks,” he said, adding that Umno had championed Islam in seeking independence for the country, in making Islam the official religion in the constitution, and in caring for Muslims, among others. — Bernama