UP until its recent meetings with PAS, MIC did not know the Islamist party was moderate, said MIC deputy president M. Saravanan.

“They have been moderate all this while but only we didn’t realise,” he told reporters in Parliament lobby today.

“Only we were unable to identify that they are moderate,” said the party’s Tapah MP.

Saravanan said this was seen by PAS’ attendance at MIC headquarters last week.

“A good example is PAS walking into the MIC building. It has never happened before in our history.

“They are going out of their way to show they are not against the non-Muslims. In the past, PAS has never been to any other political office,” said Saravanan.

“(PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang, in his address to the MIC crowd in our building had made clear that he is not against any races. It’s purely a political fight to strengthen BN and PAS.”

He was responding to questions about whether PAS was a moderate party and Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri’s statements at a Umno-PAS event last night.

Ismail described Umno and PAS’ objective to topple the Pakatan Harapan government as a “jihad” to overthrow an anti-Islam government.

But Saravanan is convinced that PAS is a moderate party. 

“The true Muslim spirit is very moderate and accommodates all races. The biggest Buddha statue is in Kelantan. 

“Hadi has also issued statements that he will work with all other races and the real Muslim will respect all other races.”

Saravanan, however, did not want to comment on Ismail’s comments.

“I have never heard that. They have never said that against non-Muslims. 

“We were in many meetings with PAS and Umno and others, and never before they said anything against non-Muslims.

“I am not sure about that statement,” said Saravanan.

He, however, added that he did not think the PH government was anti-Malay or anti-Islam.

“I don’t think the government is anti-Malay and anti-Islam. I don’t think any political party can survive if it were anti-Malay and anti-Islam,” said Saravanan. – April 1, 2019.