BARISAN Nasional supports the call by PAS for the government to table a white paper on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said its chief, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He, however, said the pact has yet to discuss the matter with its new ally, PAS.

“We will support the white paper as it is an opportunity to explain to the people on the security needs to curb this (terrorism),” he told reports at the Parliament today.

“We must look at the issue from the security aspect and see what sort of funding and support given to them.”

Yesterday, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the government must table a white paper on the attempts to revive the LTTE.

“Considering that this is a public interest matter, PAS demands that the government table a white paper on the propagation of ideology, organisational network and activities of those suspected of involvement with the extremist LTTE group in Malaysia, which has also been linked with a few local politicians,” he said.

The call comes following the arrest of 12, including DAP assemblymen G. Saminathan and P. Gunasekaren, on suspicion of promoting, supporting, channelling funds to and possessing materials related to LTTE.

Zahid also said the police should be given the space to investigate the matter independently.

“We should allow the police to conduct their probe and take appropriate action.

“I also agree with the prime minister that these arrests are not done to break up any political party, but done for the nation’s security.”

Previously, DAP leaders have complained about the use of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), which allows for detention without trial, in the LTTE investigation.

However, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad responded by saying that the police should be allowed to do their job and that the arrests were not targeted at any political party.

Earlier today, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang also said his party supports the PAS proposal for a white paper on LTTE.

But, he said, the white paper should cover the entire spectrum of the problem of terrorism faced by Malaysia.

It must also look into the recent addition of International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) as a terror group by four Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The Iskandar Puteri MP said the vice-president of IUMS is PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang. – October 14, 2019.