OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim has attacked PAS for what he said was continuous slander of his coalition, especially DAP.

The Port Dickson MP took aim at PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, saying the Marang MP had made a string of defamatory statements, which included saying that Anwar is a member of the freemasons.

“When he doesn’t agree with DAP, the party is communist.

“When DAP was his partner (in Pakatan Rakyat), he hugged them. Then he turns his back on DAP, befriending Bersatu and Umno.

“Now, DAP is communist,” Anwar said, referring to Hadi and PAS’s switch in political allegiances since its split from Pakatan Rakyat shortly after the 2013 general election.

“Our political scene is now a place to curse and slander. I am accused of becoming an agent for the Jews and Israel, and a freemason.”

“The one who accused me of this nonsense was my friend, Hadi. He even wrote a letter to the World Islamic Movement telling all Muslim scholars that I am pro America and a secular.

“We have been friends for years, never once did he ask if I was a freemason. He made this slander up,” Anwar said at a Pakatan Harapan ceremah in Alor Gajah, Malacca, last night.

Anwar then said that even the late Yusuf al-Qaradawi, one of the contemporary Muslim world’s foremost scholars, was surprised at Hadi’s behaviour.

“I clarified this matter a year ago but until today, he never said anything to amend his mistake.”

“The late Yusuf al-Qaradawi called me and asked me why Hadi was doing this,” Anwar said.

In 2020, Hadi wrote a letter to Islamic scholars, alleging that Anwar was a leader in the Freemason Movement.

Hadi’s letter, dated March 22, was sent to countries in the Middle East and major Muslim groups justifying his party’s role in the Sheraton Move on February 24 of that year.

Hadi was appointed a special envoy to the Middle East on March 22. The government announced his appointment on April 3.

The letter said PH was controlled by communists, Zionists, Christians and foreign powers, such as the United States and Europe.

Ismail Sabri not doing his job

Meanwhile, Anwar also took Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to task after the Umno vice president refused to accept his challenge of a public debate.

Anwar rubbished Ismail’s justification for declining the offer, telling the Bera MP that as parliamentarians, their job is to debate on policies.

“What do we, as parliamentarians, do in the Dewan Rakyat? We debate. We teach our children in school to debate. From there, they become critical thinkers.”

“Yet, Ismail our PM says it is not our culture. What era are you living in, Ismail?” the PKR president shot back.

Earlier yesterday, Ismail declined Anwar’s offer of a televised face-to-face, saying Anwar would only use the opportunity as a soapbox for his manifesto and make ‘bulan dan bintang’ (the moon and the stars) promises.

According to Ismail, it is not in Malaysian culture to engage in such events, adding that it would bring no benefit.

“It is not our culture to have debates. We have never done this, and it doesn’t do any good,” he said during a press conference at Bukit Aman.

The prime minister was confident BN would triumph because it had earned the public’s trust, while adding that debates such as this were not on the cards because BN’s candidates were too busy on the campaign trail.

Nomination day for the general election is on November 5, with the country due to go to the polls on November 19. – October 26, 2022.