REMBAU MP Khairy Jamaluddin has dismissed criticisms that Umno’s cooperation with Islamist party PAS would steer the country towards a “Taliban-style” government, saying instead that Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun’s attempt to ban the sale of liquor at a Seremban golf club was more extremist.

Khairy said the attempt to ban the sale should not have happened because the alcoholic drinks sold at the Seremban International Golf Club (SIGC) are only for members.

“Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming can claim that if PAS and Umno rule this country, it will be turned into a Taliban state.

“But who is the Taliban minister trying to stop selling alcohol at the club in Seremban?

“That is a Taliban. For us (Umno-PAS), it’s our freedom to share,” he said during a ceramah last night at Rantau

Reports surfaced last month quoting Aminuddin as declaring that he was in agreement with a ban on the sale of alcohol in the club, although he later denied ordering the ban.

On March 21, Aminuddin said he would resign as president of SIGC if the extraordinary general meeting of the club overturns a ban on the sale of alcohol at the club.

The ban was revoked and Aminuddin kept his promise.

Khairy said Nga’s branding of the Umno-PAS alliance as Taliban had caused national unity to become more fragile.

“Not only the Malays but also the non-Malays feel the tension.

“There is already a situation today where anyone is free to hurt the feelings of someone’s race or religion,” he said.

He said that Pakatan Harapan leaders were setting a bad example by uttering statements that were racially charged and incited religious sentiments of the people.

“We in Umno-PAS are only declaring war on Pakatan Harapan, not against non-Muslims,” said Khairy.

Nga, who is Perak DAP chief, had during an event in Taiping last month claimed that the Umno-PAS union would turn Malaysia into a country like Afghanistan, which is controlled by the Taliban if they succeeded in forming the government. – April 4, 2019.