Sunday, 12 June 2011 17:43
KEPALA BATAS, 12 JUNE, 2011: PAS' changed struggle for the establishment of an Islamic state to a welfare state is seen as a bait to draw support from non-Muslim voters.
Former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said PAS' changed stance showed that it had lost its direction and objective.
Abdullah who is also Kepala Batas MP and Umno division chief, said PAS was trying to copy the Barisan Nasional (BM) government which had been implementing the welfare state concept since the days of the country's first prime minister.
"The people have until today been enjoying the benefits, such as education," he said after opening the division's delegates' conference at the Kepala Batas Industrial Training Institute, here, today.
Last week, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in his policy speech at the party's general assembly said PAS was now focusing on the establishment of a welfare state as its partners in the opposition pact was fighting for the same while there was no mention of Islamic state in the Quran.
On the move by the Penang government for elections to be held to choose the mosque committees in the state, Abdullah disagreed with this as it could divide the local Muslim communities due to friction caused by factions, tension and political interference.
He said the present method used through consultations among the committee members should be maintained as it had not caused any major problems all this while.
"Harmony within a mosque committee and among the congregation must be preserved to protect the sanctity of the mosque," he advised.
On the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih)'s plan to hold a street demonstration on July 9, the former premier said it would only cause tension and public inconvenience.
Abdullah said such groups and the opposition were willing to sacrifice the country's peace and security through illegal demonstrations which would not benefit anyone.
He advised the public not to join such protest demonstrations as these would not solve the problems, while there were proper channels to air their dissatisfaction or grievances.
"If they insist on demonstrating, then they should gather at a stadium and not on the streets," he said. - Bernama
Sunday, June 12, 2011
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