KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's role as an unofficial advisor to Perikatan Nasional (PN)-led states contradicted his previous criticisms of Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, says DAP stalwart Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang.
In a statement today, Lim said that in Dr Mahathir's book "Capturing Hope – The Struggle Continues for a New Malaysia", the former prime minister wrote about Abdul Hadi sowing division among Malay-Islam in politics.
"Now, Mahathir is eating his own words by becoming an unofficial adviser to the four PAS states, although PAS, under Hadi, is trying to do so on the Malaysian scale what he had done previously.
"Condemning DAP as anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-Royalty, communist and spreading Islamophobia without any iota of evidence or proof whatsoever," said Lim.
Lim cited excerpts from Dr Mahathir's book that discussed Abdul Hadi's pronouncement when he was a PAS youth leader, which was subsequently used as guidance for party members.
"In 1981, Hadi Awang of PAS declared that the Umno was a party of kafir (infidels).
"Members of the same family who are Umno supporters are shunned by those who support Pas. In fact, Pas members truly believe that the three million Umno members, their families and supporters are not Muslims.
"They are all kafir — infidels and apostates. Even if before there was no religious divide among Malay-Muslims, now there is. And the divide is deep, caused not by the teachings of Islam but by politics," said Dr Mahathir, who served as the Umno president in 1981, when Pas was its political rival.
In the meantime, he also lauded the police for facilitating the Perikatan Nasional rally in the city centre yesterday, although the chief organiser stayed away from it due to underwhelming participation.
On Thursday, PN is considering grouping four of its state governments as "state government four" or SG4, while Dr Mahathir is expected to play a significant role as the unofficial advisor.
Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the four menteri besar of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu would discuss an action plan.
All four states reportedly agreed in principle to form the cooperation. He had also ordered the Terengganu executive council to hold talks with their counterparts in the other three states.