PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat says the council is not looking at the Bersih 3.0 rally in its proper perspective.
PETALING JAYA: PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat has criticised the National Fatwa Council for being biased in issuing a fatwa (religious edict) declaring it “haram” for Muslims to participate in demonstrations.
Through a posting on his Facebook page today, Nik Aziz defended the Bersih 3.0 protest on April 28, saying the people were demanding for clean elections and not to cause chaos.
“Don’t they [the National Fatwa Council] realise that the Bersih gathering was not to cause trouble but to stress the eight demand for free and fair elections?
“If using lawful means to protest is allowed, then what better and law-abiding way is there than a sit-in protest?” he asked.
He doubted whether the Fatwa Council understood the gravity of Bersih’s demands for a cleaner electoral roll for the country.
“I am sure this fatwa was made without consulting or seeking an explanation from Bersih 3.0 organisers.
“So my question is this: is it a fatwa when both parties were not consulted?”
Nik Aziz, who is Kelantan Menteri Besar, also took a swing at Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak when he visited Kelantan last week.
He said the crowds in Gua Musang and the Rural Transformation Centre in Kota Baru who greeted Najib would have turned violent if the state authorities had used tear-gas and water cannons to disperse them.
He added that if Bersih 3.0 was deemed illegal, then the gathering in Kelantan was also unlawful because it was “clearly meant to change the state government”.
Najib visited the opposition stronghold where he urged the Kelantanese to embark on change for better livelihood.
Nik Aziz also said that the Fatwa Council was not seeing the rally in its proper perspective.
“I agree that if a rally is held with the aim of damaging property and creating chaos, it is haram. But in the case of Bersih 3.0, the council is not seeing the full picture; it is only looking through one eye.”
“It is enough for me to say that the Fatwa Council must not hop on one leg, otherwise there is bound to be a misstep (jangan berjalan sebelah kaki, nanti pincang mengatur langkah).”
The peaceful Bersih 3.0 rally turned ugly when a few protesters breached the barriers cordoning off Dataran Merdeka. Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the 80,000 crowd.
PETALING JAYA: PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat has criticised the National Fatwa Council for being biased in issuing a fatwa (religious edict) declaring it “haram” for Muslims to participate in demonstrations.Through a posting on his Facebook page today, Nik Aziz defended the Bersih 3.0 protest on April 28, saying the people were demanding for clean elections and not to cause chaos.
“Don’t they [the National Fatwa Council] realise that the Bersih gathering was not to cause trouble but to stress the eight demand for free and fair elections?
“If using lawful means to protest is allowed, then what better and law-abiding way is there than a sit-in protest?” he asked.
He doubted whether the Fatwa Council understood the gravity of Bersih’s demands for a cleaner electoral roll for the country.
“I am sure this fatwa was made without consulting or seeking an explanation from Bersih 3.0 organisers.
“So my question is this: is it a fatwa when both parties were not consulted?”
Nik Aziz, who is Kelantan Menteri Besar, also took a swing at Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak when he visited Kelantan last week.
He said the crowds in Gua Musang and the Rural Transformation Centre in Kota Baru who greeted Najib would have turned violent if the state authorities had used tear-gas and water cannons to disperse them.
He added that if Bersih 3.0 was deemed illegal, then the gathering in Kelantan was also unlawful because it was “clearly meant to change the state government”.
Najib visited the opposition stronghold where he urged the Kelantanese to embark on change for better livelihood.
Nik Aziz also said that the Fatwa Council was not seeing the rally in its proper perspective.
“I agree that if a rally is held with the aim of damaging property and creating chaos, it is haram. But in the case of Bersih 3.0, the council is not seeing the full picture; it is only looking through one eye.”
“It is enough for me to say that the Fatwa Council must not hop on one leg, otherwise there is bound to be a misstep (jangan berjalan sebelah kaki, nanti pincang mengatur langkah).”
The peaceful Bersih 3.0 rally turned ugly when a few protesters breached the barriers cordoning off Dataran Merdeka. Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the 80,000 crowd.
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