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KUALA LUMPUR – PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang found himself in the firing line of social media users for his “obsession” with the formation of the unity government, as monsoon-triggered floods continue to ravage his home state of Terengganu.
The year-end flood, which has inundated major parts of Terengganu and neighbouring Kelantan, has killed at least five people, while more than 70,000 others had to be evacuated to temporary relief centres.
In his own constituency of Marang, 232 flood victims remain displaced in four centres as of 5.30pm today and are currently stationed at two relief centres.
However, Hadi had shared photos of his visits to several flood-affected areas in the past few days and distributed aid to victims.
This, however, did not impress netizens, who took particular issue with his recent scathing statements on the unity government, particularly about PAS’ nemesis DAP, amid the deadly disaster.
In his statement today, Hadi focused his attack on urging the rakyat to reject leaders who tend to deceive the public in trying to clinch federal power, accusing Pakatan Harapan (PH) of lying its way into forming the government both in the 2018 and recent general elections.
TOLAK PEMIMPIN BERBOHONG DAN MENIPU
— Abdul Hadi Awang (@abdulhadiawang) December 22, 2022
Kita pernah menyaksikan pesta Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14 (PRU-14) dahulu, selepas itu terbentuk sebuah kerajaan campuran bersama Pakatan Harapan (PH) yang menjadi tonggak kemenangan, hasil gabungan daripada beberapa parti yang bersaudara. pic.twitter.com/gNImlpR8Jb
He said PH’s desperation for power is evidenced in its decision to cooperate with immoral and corrupt leaders, ostensibly referring to those in the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Hadi went on to accuse PH of spreading lies and twisting facts merely to garner the support of the Malays by, among others, spreading Islamophobic rhetoric and labelling efforts by PAS to save the community as racist.
“When we stated the need for political, educational, and economic strength among the Malays and oppressed non-Muslim Bumiputeras, they began to play up racial issues against the Malay Muslims.”
Hadi claimed that Islamophobic threats against non-Muslim voters also contributed to PH’s victory in the recently concluded general election.
On Twitter, many users lambasted the PAS president over his insensitivity and misplaced priorities, when his attention should be on helping victims and addressing the flood issue.
User @iqmalhisham said the party leader should cease his politicking, and reserve it for the election season.
Hitam sangat ke hati tu. PM Anwar dah pergi Kelantan dan Zahid ke Terengganu berkaitan banjir. Nak cakap terima kasih atas peruntukan segera RM100 juta kpd negeri PN pon takde. Nak berpolitik tunggu la election. Nak cakap pasal menipu, Sheraton tu mana SD nya? Bertahun dah tunggu
— 伊克馬爾·希沙姆 🏴 (@iqmalhisham) December 22, 2022
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been to Kelantan and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi went to Terengganu to deal with the floods. But you didn’t even say thank you for the immediate allocation of RM100 million (granted by the government) for the Perikatan Nasional-held states.”
User @iam_ein expressed his bemusement with how a Muslim leader could continuously issue political statements at a time of national disaster.
Sy amat keliru, mengapa seorang pemimpin islam masih mahu mengeluarkan kenyataan politik sebegini dikala negara ditimpa musibah bencana? Juga, sy ambil maklum dlm Sidang Parlimen yg pihak pembangkang menyokong keabsahan Kerajaan Perpaduan. Tk bolehkah fokus bekerja pd rakyat?
— ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʟᴠᴇʀɪɴᴇ 🐺🏴 (@iam_ein) December 22, 2022
“Also, I note that in the recent Parliament sessions, the opposition supported the legitimacy of the unity government. Can’t you just focus on serving the rakyat?”
Meanwhile, user @xjazli said citizens are more concerned now with receiving flood-related information rather than consuming politically related statements.
“I will call you stupid, not in your capacity as an ulama, but as a politician. Yes, you are stupid and irrelevant,” he said.
Awak tu MP Marang. Orang taknak tahu apa jadi time PRU lepas. Orang nak tahu info2 penting time banjir ni. Saya gelar anda bodoh atas kapasiti orang politik, bukan ulama’. Ya, anda bodoh dan tidak relevan.
— saladin (@xjazli) December 22, 2022
Another user @anbas5155 posted: “This is PAS’ only expertise: cursing, insulting, and slandering other parties. They can’t think about how to solve problems, and can’t manage a single job. They only shake their legs while blindly earning a salary.”
Ini sajalah kemahiran pak lebai Pas. Caci,maki,hina,fitnah pihak lain.Tak pandai fikir settle masalah,1 kerja pun tak reti urus. Yang tahu pun goyang kaki sambil sauk gaji buta saja.Lepas tu pot pet pot pet bunyi complain orang lain yang buat kerja.
— Anba S (@anbas5155) December 22, 2022
User @pishabrown said: “People are busy with the flood, what are you harping on? Why is PN so desperate for power to the point that you can tweet like this even when the rakyat is beset by calamity? It’s like you have no common sense.”
Orang tengah sibuk banjir la ayahchik oi apa lagi dok meratib tak sudah2. Apa yang pn kemaruk sangat nak berkuasa ni sampai rakyat sendiri musibah pun sempat lagi nak tweet tolak itu ini. Macam takde akaaiii
— Kim (@pishabrown) December 22, 2022
Meanwhile, responding specifically to Hadi’s accusation that PH is a “liar”, some netizens reminded him that he had issued a similarly deceptive statement when he claimed that PN has obtained the support of the majority MPs to form the new government after last month’s polls.
This is in reference to his remark to the press when met in the immediate days after the polling result, where he said: “We have enough numbers, more than enough.” – The Vibes, December 22, 2022