PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s senior political secretary has demanded that news portal MalaysiaNow retract an article linking him to the man who posted a “prayer” calling for the demise of PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.
Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin said although the man, known as Zaki Yamani, had previously served as PKR Youth secretary when he (Shamsul) had led the wing back in 2007, it has “no relevance to the current situation in any official capacity”.
“The allegations [linking me to Zaki] are highly inappropriate and have no basis,” Shamsul said in a statement on Sunday (July 2).
“I therefore urge MalaysiaNow to retract claims that the individual (Zaki) is linked to me and the Prime Minister’s Department.”
According to Shamsul, he has reached out to Hadi’s family through the latter’s son to find out about the Marang MP’s health just as soon as Hadi’s ill health was reported.
“On behalf of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Office, we pray for Hadi’s speedy recovery and hope that visitations could be arranged once his condition becomes stable,” he stated.
Yesterday, Anwar had directed Zaki to apologise for his “uncouth” social media post about the PAS leader’s deteriorating health.
This is following Zaki’s post on Twitter calling for Hadi’s demise.
“Oh Allah! Take the life of Abdul Hadi Awang. Stop the damage he is doing on the face of the earth. Stop the slander he brings against Your religion. P/S: Take Mahathir too,” Zaki allegedly wrote.
The PAS president had been warded since Hari Raya Haji after his health had started to deteriorate.
Hadi’s son Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi had made this known in a Facebook post Saturday (July 2) and asked for well-wishers to pray for his father’s health.
The veteran politician was discharged from Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital in Terengganu yesterday.
Following Zaki’s tweets, MalaysiaNow had published an article titled “Aide to PM’s pols sec calls for death of Hadi, Mahathir” which alleged that Zaki was Shamsul’s aide and that the “prayer” was posted “in a sign of the campaign for the upcoming state elections on a nasty tone”.
Zaki, who also clarified that he was not an aide to any political secretary to the prime minister, had since slammed MalaysiaNow over the report, adding that the portal is known for spreading slander. – July 3, 2023
Main pic credit: Bernama
