PORT DICKSON — PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today dismissed a criticism by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang that he is inconsistent when addressing voters of various races and religions during the campaign for the Port Dickson parliamentary by-election.
Anwar said Islam does not prohibit respect for the right of other people to practise their religions.
He said that when PAS was in the then Pakatan Rakyat, along with PKR and DAP, it did not object to him attending events at Hindu temples and many PAS members also came along with him.
“As such, I do not want to comment on or respond to Abdul Hadi’s statement. Lately, many quarters have criticised me; I do not want to respond. What’s important is that we must realise that Islam does not prohibit respect for others to practise their own religion. I do not go to temples to pray; I attend cultural events in the temple compounds. I will continue doing that,” he said.
Anwar spoke to reporters at the Pakatan Harapan main operations room for the Port Dickson parliamentary by-election here.
Abdul Hadi, at a press conference after a PAS ‘ceramah’ (talk) here yesterday, said Anwar should be more consistent in his Islamic practice.
Responding to a question about the PAS president asking why he did not choose to contest in a Malay-majority area, Anwar said Port Dickson reflected the structure of the Malaysian community comprising various races.
“If I were to contest in a Malay-majority area, they will ask why I am not contesting in a multiracial area,” he said.
Anwar said the Port Dickson voters were made up of almost 50 per cent Malays, 30 per cent Chinese and 20 per cent Indians.
Asked about the lack of PKR leaders campaigning for him, Anwar said he had advised them not to neglect their responsibility to ensure the victory of the party’s candidate in the by-election.
The by-election is being held after the seat was vacated by Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, 68, of PKR to enable Anwar to contest and become an MP.
The by-election is a seven-cornered contest involving Anwar, Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) retiree Lt Col (Rtd) Mohd Nazari Mokhtar (PAS) and four independent candidates – Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, social media personality Stevie Chan Keng Leong, Kan Chee Yuen and former lecturer Lau Seck Yan.
Polling is on Oct 13.
— BERNAMA
