Nik Aziz: Shiah claim just Umno ploy to trap Mat Sabu

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — Mohamad Sabu has earned the backing of PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat over his alleged link to the Shiah sect, with the latter dismissing the claim as political revenge by Umno to “trap” the leader and the Islamist party.

The well-respected religious leader added that the apparent witch hunt against Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, was merely Umno’s use of new propaganda to destroy PAS’s Islamic image in the eyes of its key supporters.

“If Umno really wants to fight the Shiah, why haven’t its alleged followers in Kedah been caught,” he questioned yesterday in Kota Baru, according to a report on PAS organ Harakah Daily.

The report also quoted Nik Aziz as accusing Umno of being bankrupt of fresh ideas to draw support, and resorting to “trapping” PAS’s number two leader by pinning Shiah allegations on him.

Putrajaya launched a concerted move against followers of the Shiah sect after Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi declared during the recently concluded 64^th Umno General Assembly that it is in the interest of “faith and national security” that the government clamp down on the spread of the Shiah ideology.

Zahid had also issued an order to religious authorities to act against Mat Sabu, who is PAS’s deputy president, over his alleged links to the Shiah movement, though the PAS number two has since denied the claim and said he will sue the minister over the statement.

In 1996, the National Fatwa Council decided that the Shiah sect is a deviant movement that goes against the tenets of Sunnah wal Jamaah, the dominant Islamic ideology in Malaysia.

Yesterday, Mat Sabu confirmed plans to sue the minister for defamation and seek a police probe, insisting the latter could have abused his power by ordering the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to take action against him.

“At this time, my lawyer will file a suit against Datuk Zahid Hamidi only because to me, he is the pencetus (culprit) of the defamatory accusations towards me and I believe his defamatory accusations against me is based on malice to bring down my dignity and integrity,” Mat Sabu told reporters at the PAS headquarters here.

“I believe this is a form of abuse of power because everyone knows that Jakim is not under the jurisdiction of KDN, so on what basis can KDN arbitrarily give powers to Jakim to take action against me,” he added, referring to the Home Ministry by its Malay initials.

Mat Sabu’s lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said a letter of demand will be issued to Zahid some time this week, and a suit will be filed if the latter fails to apologise and withdraw his allegations.

Last Saturday,  Zahid appeared unfazed by Mat Sabu’s threat to sue, insisting that the Home Ministry had evidence to link the latter to the Shiah movement, the Islamic school of jurisprudence deemed as deviant in Malaysia despite being practised by an estimated 15 per cent of 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide.

“I know the truth about this (Shiah) disclosure. Mat Sabu also knows the truth and so do the other PAS leaders. We have proof and I am not the least bit anxious with Mat Sabu’s threat to sue me and the Home Ministry.

“I am ready to meet Mat Sabu in court,” the vice-president of Umno, the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition’s main party, was reported saying by Utusan Malaysia.

Last week, Zahid and the ministry cited Mat Sabu’s purported admiration for the late Iran revolutionary Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, as one of the 10 bundles of evidence that showed his Shiaism.

On Saturday, the ministry claimed the 10 pieces of evidence already revealed were just “grade B” material, while the more solid ones it deemed “grade A”, has yet to be disclosed to the public.