KUALA LUMPUR: Pas must not use racism and an extremist approaches by treating non-Muslims as its opponents.
DAP National Chairman Lim Guan Eng said once again PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin has reinforced the party's exclusive and racist sentiment towards non-Muslims instead of inclusively embracing them as fellow Malaysians.
He said Hashim in a statement to an online news portal had stated that PAS was willing to negotiate with non-Muslims provided that they agree with the party's unity agenda.
" PAS must not forget that non-Muslims are Malaysian citizens who are not political opponents of PAS and it should not take them as its political enemies".
As a responsible party, he said Pas should embrace and be inclusive in unifying the nation, instead of downgrading non-Muslims for not sharing its Islamic sentiments.
Lim said some of Pas' statements seemed to portray open hostility and contempt towards the rights and dignity of non-Muslims expressed by PAS President, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in the past.
"Previously, Hadi had blamed non-Muslims and non-Bumiputeras for being the root of all corruption, that non-Muslims cannot hold senior Cabinet posts, and blamed the non-Muslims and non-Malays for threatening the political power of the Malays when all top government positions are held by Malays or Muslims .
"He even lied that Pakatan Harapan was dominated by non-Muslims that are anti-Islam and anti-Malay.
"He also accused PH of winning the 2018 general elections through treachery, then labelled those encouraging the use of English to have a colonial mindset and interfered in non-Muslim cultural events by wanting to ban entertainment concerts though no religious ceremonies were involved in the events.
"Despite all that, Hadi could shamelessly proclaim that there was no reason for PAS to fail to garner non-Muslim support when DAP can elect Indian MPs in Chinese-majority seats," he said in a statement today.
Lim, who is also the Bagan MP said non-Muslims rejected PAS not only for their racism and extremism but also their economic management failures and poor governance.
"The present three Pas Ministers have also been described by Mohamad Agus Yusoff from University Kebangsaan Malaysia as incompetent. Johor Umno deputy chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed had also described them as low-quality ministers who were dragging the government down with their incompetence. PAS has tried to cover up their incompetence by exploiting racist and extremist sentiments," he said.
"Just as corruption is colour-blind, so is competence.Unfortunately, non-Muslim political parties in the government such as MCA, MIC, GPS from Sarawak and GRS from Sabah behave like political "eunuchs" by not daring to oppose but continue to support PAS in the government and work together with the three PAS Ministers in Cabinet."
He said by legitimising and whitewashing the racism and extremism, these political 'eunuchs' were abetting PAS.