PAS information chef Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has snubbed Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming who recently claimed that he emulated the integrity of second Muslim caliph Umar Al-Khattab’s leadership in motivating staff of his ministry.
This is after the Teluk Intan MP having recently pushed for a status quo in the sales of alcohol at Muslim-majority locales with justification of “economic reasons”, human rights” and “individual freedom”.
“If Umar Al-Khattab were alive today, would he laugh bitterly at this argument? How is it possible for someone to idolise Umar but at the same time reject the Islamic principles that he *Umar) stood for?” queried Fadhli who is also the Pasir Mas MP in a Facebook post.
“This attitude is nothing more than ‘cosmetic idolatry’ – (the act of) simply attaching Umar’s name to enhance his image but without the slightest desire to emulate Umar’s morals and principles.”
For context, Nga who is also the National DAP vice-choirman and Perak state chairman has come under fire from UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh and Fadhli himself for having insisted on retaining the status quo on alcohol sales while reminding those who are prohibited from consuming the beverage to abstain from buying it.
On Jan 18, Ipoh Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said a council-level meeting had approved a policy to study the demand for alcohol sales prohibition from Malay-majority locales before implementing it.
He further revealed that a similar ban was enforced in the Manjoi area in 2020 and 2021 after widespread protests from residents.
But Nga who is also the National DAP vice-chairman and the party’s Perak state chairman begged to differ on grounds of preserving harmony and peaceful relations among the different ethnic groups and to avoid the issue being politicised by certain quarters.
As a leader who was firm in upholding Islamic law, Fadhli went on to praise Umar who was renowned for his bold and decisive measures in dealing with the problem of alcohol.
“Umar imposed a punishment of 80 lashes on those who drank alcohol compared to the previous 40 lashes. He saw such harsher punishment as necessary to curb the abuse of alcohol which was corrupting the morals of society,” revealed the PAS lawmaker.
“Umar has even written to his governors to prohibit alcohol sale in placed populated by Muslims, to destroy alcohol containers and to punish anyone found in possession of alcohol in their homes.”
As Nga is unable to exemplify or live up to Umar’s version of societal harmony, Fadhli urged Nga to “stop toying with Umar’s name just for popularity’s sake”, ie to win the hearts of Malay Muslims.
“Stop chanting the names of your so-called cosmetic idols. Don’t be fooled by courteous and friendly wolves who are ever ready to pounce on unsuspecting victims,” he added. – Jan 28, 2025
