KUALA LUMPUR - Amidst heightened tensions within Malaysian politics, Umno Deputy President Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan addressed controversial remarks made by Pas President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, who compared Umno to the 'dajjal' - an antagonistic figure in Islamic eschatology.
Mohamad who is also known as ‘Tokmat’ stressed that while Hadi is free to express his views, ultimate judgement on sins and virtues rests with Allah.
"If that’s his interpretation of the Quran, let it be. "I cannot comment because I am not as ‘knowledgeable’ as he is.
"We are friends in politics, but that is his perspective; it’s up to him to call us dajjal if he wishes,” he said told reporters during the 2024 Umno General Assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTC) on Saturday.
He also added that while he could similarly label someone as ‘dajjal,’ he chooses not to in order to avoid creating division among Malaysians, particularly within the Malay community.
Hasan stressed Umno's stance of allowing people to express their opinions freely, asserting that ultimately, it is up to Allah to decide matters of sin and virtue.
Earlier, in his ‘Minda Presiden’ (President’s Mind) column on Friday, Hadi claimed that Umno and Pakatan Harapan (PH) continued pursuing materialistic principles to establish and uphold its government.
In response, the Umno Malaysia Ulama Council has slammed Hadi for his harsh language, accusing him of portraying his political opponents as "more of a dajjal than the dajjal." They warned that such rhetoric risks reigniting the deep divisions between Pas and Umno supporters, reminiscent of the conflicts of the early 1980s, which were exacerbated by speeches undermining Islamic brotherhood until reconciliation through Muafakat Nasional in 2019.
Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also condemned Hadi’s comparison of the Malay party to the ‘dajjal,’ a malevolent figure in Islamic eschatology.
Zahid responded with sarcasm, suggesting that Hadi himself is ‘more of a dajjal than the dajjal.’