PETALING JAYA: Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah expressed disappointment today with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang over remarks on the monarchy following the Federal Court’s decision to strike down several provisions in a Kelantan shariah criminal enactment.
In a Facebook post, the Selangor Royal Office said Sultan Sharafuddin had sent Hadi a letter through the state’s PAS commissioner Ab Halim Tamuri.
“His Majesty has conveyed profound disappointment regarding the statement made by Hadi on Feb 20 titled ‘The Importance of Upholding Islam’,” the post said.
Sultan Sharafuddin was responding to a statement by Hadi calling for Muslims to uphold their faith in the wake of the apex court’s ruling.
The Marang MP also advised the Malay rulers against “looking only at worldly interests”.
Sultan Sharafuddin described Hadi’s remarks as “highly inappropriate and uncultured”.
“(This is) especially within the context of Malay culture, which traditionally upholds respect and decorum when offering opinions and advice to the Malay rulers,” he said.
He also said that Hadi’s statement could lead to division within the Muslim community.
“If Hadi had been more cautious by examining and thoroughly understanding His Majesty’s speech (on Feb 15), he would have grasped His Majesty’s true intent.
“Why is he now questioning the position of the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land when Islam has been established as the religion of the federation since 1957, when the constitution was drafted?” he said.
The sultan, on Feb 15, had urged everyone to respect the Federal Court’s decision to strike down 16 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 on the grounds that they were unconstitutional.
Sultan Sharafuddin, who chairs the national council for Islamic affairs, said the Federal Constitution must also be upheld by all Malaysians as the supreme law of the land.
He noted that many politicians, legal practitioners, academics and members of the public had given their opinions and interpretations of the outcome of the decision, with some properly explaining its true effect.
He advised Hadi to “be more careful in the future” and avoid insulting the Malay rulers again.
“His Majesty also urges politicians and political leaders not to exploit Islam and tarnish the sanctity of the religion for the sake of their own political interests.”
