INDEPENDENT Muslim preacher Muhammad Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu said he is confused by the angry reaction of several Perlis PAS youth delegates following his presence at the 60th PAS Youth Muktamar in Gambang, Pahang.

Zamri told The Malaysian Insight that he attended the event on the invitation of the organisers and was unaware of the controversy surrounding it, adding that he bore no ill-feeling towards the Perlis Youth delegates.

“They (Perlis PAS) have to understand that I’m not rushing to come here, but rather I was invited. I’m not a PAS member and so they invited me to come here and speak, so I will speak,” he said.

“I should not be blamed, if there is any issue between them. I do not know. But I have no issues with them.”

Zamri, who counts controversial Islamic speaker Zakir Naik as his mentor, was invited to attend the convention and was slated to speak for about 10 minutes to the delegates.

“I’m not a politician, I didn’t come here to vote and I’m not contesting in the congress.

“I appreciate their invitation and my intention is for all Muslims to be united,” he said.

Amirul Jufri Mat Saman, the chief of the Perlis chapter of the PAS’ uniformed wing Amal, yesterday said organisers of the muktamar had to explain why Zamri was invited, saying that Perlis PAS Youth were unhappy with some of Zamri’s previous statements.

The anger over the invitation stemmed from the detention of Amal members after Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin’s car was torched on March 22.

Three Amal members were remanded by police for four days.

Zamri Vinoth is seen as a protégé of Asri, and inviting someone closely associated with the mufti did not go down well with the Perlis Amal members.

Zamri Vinoth told The Malaysian Insight that he was not involved in any dispute with PAS, especially oveer the burning of Asri’s car.

During the PAS Youth debate, Perlis delegates accused Zamri Vinoth of trying to defame PAS by trying to advocate a rebellion against the Perlis ruler.

Perlis PAS Youth secretary Mohamad Azreen Jumri expressed frustration over the organisers’ move in inviting Zamri to speak.

“I want to apologise to the PAS leaders if we have offended anyone. Our issue is just with Zamri.” – June 20, 2019.