Three decades after PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang infamously branded Umno supporters “kafir” (infidels) many people will have forgotten just how destructive that comment was at the time for Islamic unity in this nation.
PAS supporters in some states were said to have avoided shaking the hands with Umno supporters in the wake of his divisive pronouncement on the basis that such an act could be haram.
Prayer houses, as the New Straits Times reminded us in recent days, began to be split up. With the congregation divided along party political lines, two different imams were required to lead the rival groups in prayer.
Animals slaughtered by Umno members were even declared not halal.
The divisions came to a head in November 1985 when PAS supporter Ibrahim Mahmud (also known as Ibrahim Libya) led an armed uprising against the “infidels” in a remote area of Kedah (the Memali incident). He was later killed by security forces suppressing the rebellion, along with 17 other people.
This was the grim harvest from the seeds of religious division sowed by the “Amanat Hadi” in 1981.
But three decades on, he suddenly feels the need to revisit the issue. Not to unequivocally apologise nor hold a press conference at which he can be quizzed on the controversy. Hadi’s strings-attached offer is for a one hour slot on live television. Nothing less.
As Perak mufti Tan Sri Dr Harussani Zakaria said of the conditional television proposal: “If he is wrong, just admit it and he can do so without demanding for a live television slot.
“He needs to repent and withdraw what he had said. By setting a condition, it shows how arrogant a person is.”
Aside from his caveat on how and when this event takes place, there has been widespread speculation as to why he suddenly feels the urge to explain his actions.
Because it has nothing to do with the average Muslim voter, most of whom wouldn’t have given a second thought about this stale issue until it recently resurfaced. The answer lies with the Muslim scholars who believe that PAS can never be the natural party of the faithful whilst this issue hangs over it like a grey cloud.
In public, these influential figures have spared Hadi most of their criticism, knowing to do so would seriously damage PAS’ prospects with voters; but privately, there has been concern that until this issue is resolved, PAS will never be able to occupy the religious moral high ground to which it believes it is entitled.
And if Hadi had the chance to put things right, it has now gone begging. Over the weekend he seemed to wreck any opportunity for atonement by denying he ever said it in the first place. Despite the fact recordings exist of the incident, he said the text from his ceramah was altered and turned into a fatwa by a PAS member. It is a denial that has been branded as “stupid” by one analyst.
Monash University political analyst Prof Dr James Chin said it is a comment that reveals the level of concern over the matter with an election on the horizon.
“I think the reason Hadi would have been forced to come out and say something is because Barisan Nasional may use the amanat as a part of a campaign against PAS,” he said.
Hadi’s denial is a missed opportunity for both Hadi and PAS. As the party demonstrated right throughout 2012, its pitch to voters ahead of GE13 is all about being the genuine party for Muslims. This is why it so resolutely pursues its Islamic agenda despite fierce opposition from the other parties of Pakatan Rakyat. Having the odd argument with DAP Chairman Karpal Singh is a small price to pay for holding onto that religious support.
Hadi’s terrible faux pas three decades ago continues to undermine that strategy. There are some Muslim voters who will never forgive and forget what he said, but more importantly there are influential figures in mosques around the nation who cannot forgive this shameless use of religion for party political purposes.
This issue dwarfs the prayer incident ahead of last year’s Muktamar at which they prayed for the downfall of Umno and until Hadi resolves it, it will remain a stain on his reputation and his party’s fortunes at GE13.