COMMUNICATIONS and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil today criticised PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for describing Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as not taking a strong enough stand on the Palestinian issue.

Fahmi, who is the spokesman for the unity government, said Hadi, who is Marang MP, could ask Anwar in parliament if there was any issue, but did not do so nor did he attend Dewan Rakyat meetings.

“From October 9 to 19, Hadi only attended parliament sitting once, on October 16, the same day the prime minister made a statement on the Palestinian issue. So he (Hadi) had the opportunity to ask.

“But did Hadi criticise or oppose the prime minister’s statement? Not at all,” said Fahmi through a post on his X account.

Fahmi was commenting on Hadi’s statement at a press conference in conjunction with the PAS Mukatamar in Shah Alam, Selangor, yesterday when asked about Anwar’s stand on the Israeli regime’s oppression of the Palestinians in Gaza.

Through the post, Fahmi also shared the Hansard dated October 16 when Anwar made the statement on the Palestinian issue at 11.37am.

“Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin spoke afterwards and even congratulated the prime minister over the government’s stance on the Palestine issue,” said Fahmi.

“Suddenly, Hadi interrupted. But out of the 136 words he spoke, not a single word was to respond, refute, protest or criticise the prime minister’s statement, which is said to be not strong enough. Is this how a ‘pious’ man or a preacher behaves? Hadi is clearly a person with vengeance.”

On October 16, Anwar said the deployment of Malaysian military forces to Palestine, including for peacekeeping or humanitarian missions, can only be done after achieving a consensus from the neighbouring countries.

In a briefing on the latest development on the Palestinian-Israeli crisis in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said without the consensus, aircraft carrying Malaysian peacekeepers or humanitarian assistance will not be allowed to land.

When tabling Budget 2024 on October 13, Anwar, who is also finance minister, announced that Malaysia will launch a humanitarian fund to help the Palestinians with an initial fund of RM10 million. – October 21, 2023.