Umno manipulating Islam for politics, says Nik Nazmi

By Debra Chong

July 26, 2011

Nik Nazmi: Umno is never about religion. It’s about politics.

PETALING JAYA, July 26 — PKR’s Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad accused the Najib administration today of politically persecuting Dr Mohamed Asri Zainul Abidin by dubbing him a “terrorist” due to his Wahabi ties.

The Selangor state lawmaker said by doing so, the federal government had exposed itself to be manipulating religion to suit its political needs.

“It’s a political manipulation of religion,” the PKR communications chief told a news conference today.

“Umno is never about religion. It’s about politics,” he added.

Nik Nazmi had first criticised the federal government’s move in a Twitter post last night.

Elaborating on the issue today, he said the true Islamic way was for Putrajaya to hold open dialogues and debates to counter Asri’s views.

“I’m not a big fan of Wahhabism. I disagree with it, but what do you do?” he asked, rhetorically.

“Why can’t you debate on that?” he replied to his own question.

Nik Nazmi recalled that his great-grandfather had managed to debate on such issues during his day in the 1930s in Kelantan and had not suffered for it, highlighting further the different reactions to the former Perlis mufti's vocal views.

He also suggested for the federal government to write books to present its views instead of resorting to drastic measures.

Asri was first linked to Wahhabism and the terrorists group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) early last year, along with PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, former Perlis mentri besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim dan Perlis Mufti Juanda Jaya.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Abdul Hadi and Shahidam Kassim have been omitted from the watchlist.

Two Umno lawmakers have come to the defence of Dr Mohamed Asri Zainul Abidin, insisting that the Najib administration has wrongly labelled the maverick former Perlis mufti as a potential terrorist threat.

Both Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said that the National Security Council (NSC) had overreacted over a difference of opinion by raising a terror alert over fears that Wahhabism was being revived.

The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that the NSC met and ordered state muftis and religious agencies to monitor and take action against the traditionalist Islamic practice that has been linked to terrorism.