TREACHEROUS for defying the edict of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) or otherwise, PAS shall proceed with the proposed “Solidarity with Najib” rally on Monday (Jan 6) despite UMNO having pulled out from the event at the eleventh hour.
This is because Malaysians have the constitutional right to assemble so long as there are no provocative elements that violate the law, according to the Islamist party’s information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari.
“As of now, we have no plans to cancel it as we believe it is lawful. However, we will continue to monitor developments from time to time,” the Pasir Mas MP told Free Malaysia Today (FMT) in a text message following UMNO’s statement late yesterday evening (Jan 3) that it would not participate on the event.
“We believe that the right to assemble is guaranteed in the Federal Constitution and we’ll not violate the laws enshrined in it. We believe that the people have the right to assemble for any reason.”
For the record, UMNO has stated that it would abide by the Agong’s decree to use the established legal channels to submit an appeal for the pardon (shift remaining jail term to house arrest) of incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak “who has rendered many services to the people and the country”.
“On the principle of upholding the Agong’s edict and as per the instructions of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), UMNO has decided to discontinue the Jan 6 assembly,” read the statement issued by UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
In fact, IGP Tan Sri Razarudin Husain had on yesterday (Jan 3) advised against the staging of rallies or channels that do not comply with the law given that Istana Negara had clearly directed all prisoners wishing to seek a pardon to submit their applications to the Pardons Board.
While its Perikatan Nasional (PN) ally Bersatu has disassociated itself from the rally with its supreme council member and Indera Mahkota MP Saifuddin Abdullah justifying that the party views seriously the issue of kleptocracy and 1MDB scandal, PAS defiance to stand in solidarity with a convicted criminal is puzzling.
Whatever the case is, PAS spokesman Fadhli who is renowned or his subtle sarcasm may find himself in hot soup with his latest poetic prose on his Facebook page – “Disangka jantan berkokok nyaring, rupanya ayam betina bertelur sebiji. Disergah biawak, digadai reban” (literally, “Thought to be a rooster crowing loudly but it turned out to be the hen laying a single egg. Startled by a monitor lizard, the (chicken) coop is quickly pawned”).
The post has elicited brickbats of sorts from Madani government backers with one commenter tagging “Friends of Istana Negara to send over a (police) patrol car to enquire from the Kelamtanese chap who he meant by the “monitor lizard”. – Jan 4, 2025