THE close tie between down-to-earth Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu a.k.a. Mat Sabu and the DAP’s ‘Lim clan’ which has been on-going for years is testament of a friendship that transcends political boundaries – one which perhaps would provide food for thought to cleric Tan Sri Hadi Awang.
This comes as the PAS president had on the eve of Syawal made a fiery anecdotal remark that unlike UMNO, “PAS cannot step foot into DAP’s kitchen because of the presence of ‘non-halal food’, not even if they change their ‘chef’ to a Muslim ‘chef’”.
But literally so, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng and his entire entourage comprising his father and retired party supremo Kit Siang, mother Neoh Yoke Tee, sister Hui Ying who is also the Deputy Education Minister and wife Betty Chew Geek Cheng had ‘invaded’ kitchen’ of the Agriculture and Food Security Minister who was a former PAS member himself.
“Every year, Pak Menteri Mat Sabu will return to his hometown to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Every year without fail, I will also drop by to celebrate the festivity spell with my family members,” tweeted the Bagan MP and former finance minister.
“He cooked beef himself with his wife (Datin Seri Normah Alwi). The Minister’s cooking is unmatched. It’s the best! This is the Mat whom we know as being loyal to friends and the ensuing struggle forever.”
For the uninitiated, Amanah or Parti Amanah Negara is a splinter party to PAS which Mat Sabu himself founded on Sept 16, 2015 after its attempt to re-brand the party as Parti Progresif Islam (PPI) was rejected by the Home Ministry.
Amanah which has its origin in the dormant Malaysian Workers’ Party (PPPM) came to being after Mat Sabu and other progressive PAS leaders (referred to as the G18) were ousted at the 2015 PAS party leadership election.
Renowned for his comedial public speaking abilities, the Penang-born Mat Sabu, 69, had been detained twice under Malaysia’s now repealed Internal Security Act (ISA) – from 1984 to 1986 under charges of being involved in extremist movements and from 1987 to 1989 as a result of the controversial Operation Lalang. – April 23, 2023
