PAS president Hadi Awang has once again demonstrated a troubling pattern of behaviour that should concern every Malaysian who values reasoned public discourse. His recent comments branding DAP's Malay leaders as "uneducated" and his bizarre assertion that non-Muslims are more prone to corruption reveal a man who has confused his religious authority with political infallibility.
He says the probe following the release of the Tabung Haji Royal Commission report is aimed at attacking an Islamic agency. Hadi claims Tabung Haji being targeted over Islamic brand. This is not only ludicrous but a very unacceptable stance coming from PAS’s supreme leader. Hadi should have stayed back at the special Parliamentary sitting to raise this point instead of walking out with his Perikatan Nasional colleagues.
His recent statements are not merely political disagreements but also dangerous interpretations that threatens the very fabric of our multi-religious, multi-ethnic society. The insulting dismissal of DAP's Malay leaders is not an argument, but a personal attack aimed to silence opposition through humiliation.
The DAP leaders in question have demonstrated their educational credentials through their professional careers, their legislative work, and their ability to articulate policy positions that serve their constituents. To dismiss them as "uneducated" simply because they hold different political views can be construed as intellectually dishonest and politically immature.
Hadi seems to believe that his religious standing grants him the authority to judge the intellectual capacity of others. It does not. Religious leadership does not have a monopoly on wisdom, nor does it grant anyone the right to demean those who disagree. More troubling is Hadi's assertion that non-Muslims are more prone to corruption. Hadi Awang:
This is absolutely wrong if one cares to do some research. Corruption has no religious or racial boundaries. In Malaysia, we have seen Malays, Chinese, Indians and others hauled before the courts and convicted of graft. The records are public. The facts are clear. To suggest that corruption is mainly involves non-Muslims is to ignore the reality that corruption is a human failing, not a religious one.
It is a desperate attempt to politicise graft, to use religion as a shield against accountability, and to distract Malaysians from the deep-rooted issues that allow corruption to flourish in all communities. Hadi's comments are particularly dangerous because of the audience he commands. To his hardcore supporters and to the fresh graduates of Tahfiz schools, his words are taken as gospel truth.
When a religious leader speaks, his followers listen. When he brands others as "uneducated" or suggests that mainly non-Muslims are corrupt, he is not merely expressing an opinion—he is shaping the worldview of those who look to him for guidance. Crosshead: Confusion between religious and political beliefs The confusion between religious and political beliefs is at the heart of this problem.
Hadi may be a supreme leader to PAS members, but his authority stops there. He does not speak for all Muslims. He does not speak for all Malays. And he certainly does not have the right to define the intellectual capacity or moral character of those who disagree with him. Religious beliefs are personal and spiritual; political beliefs are public and ideological.
To mix the two is to create a dangerous precedent where dissent is not merely political disagreement but a religious sin. This is a serious matter. In a country as diverse as Malaysia, such rhetoric can have real-world consequences. It can lead to discrimination, to violence, and to the erosion of the social fabric that holds our nation together.
Every nation has its graft problems. Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and others have all been jailed for corruption. This is not a matter of religion; it is a matter of human failing. To suggest otherwise is to ignore the evidence and to engage in a form of intellectual chicanery. Hadi must be more responsible. He must engage in arguments without branding people with certain terms.
He must recognise that his political pronouncements are subject to the same scrutiny as those of any other political leaders. He must stop confusing his role as a religious leader with his role as a political leader. And he must stop using religion as a weapon to attack those who disagree with him.
Malaysians deserve better. We deserve leaders who engage in reasoned debate, who respect the intelligence of their opponents, and who recognise that corruption is a universal problem that requires universal solutions. We deserve leaders who use their faith to inspire us to be better. Hadi may be inspiring his supporters with his pro-Islamic pronouncements but some of them trouble the non-Muslim communities in Malaysia.
Why many of Hadi’s statements are being debated widely on the social media is because Malaysians feel that there is a serious likelihood of a PAS-led government running the country in a couple of decades or so. And thus, they need a moderate PAS acceptable to all.
He can continue down this path of division and demonisation, or he can choose to be a leader who brings people together, who respects the diversity of our nation, and who engages in the kind of discourse that builds bridges rather than burns them.
Parkaran Kutty (parkarank@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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