KUALA LUMPUR – Questions have arisen over whether PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang was truly unwell yesterday, following photos and videos of his meeting with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad surfaced hours after police postponed questioning Hadi over claims of ill health.
In a Facebook post today, PKR deputy information chief Razeef Rakimin questioned if Hadi, who is also Marang MP, had lied to the police to avoid giving his statement over a campaign speech in which he allegedly questioned the Pardons Board.
“Hadi’s act is clearly seen as ostensibly being an attempt to fool authorities. For how long will Hadi continue to lie, as if he is going to die tomorrow, to avoid being investigated by police?
“I hope that police will no longer be fooled by Hadi’s dated tactics to dodge investigations by authorities (as) in his speech, he clearly questioned decisions made by the Malay rulers and appeared to go against decisions made by the royal institution.”
Yesterday, Malay Proclamation secretariat chairman Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan told Scoop that several PAS leaders had met Dr Mahathir to discuss several topics, including the economic developments of states under PAS rule.
Based on photos shared by Khairuddin, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud and Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli were also present at the meeting.
In a video shared by Malay Proclamation secretary Datuk Marzuki Yahya on Facebook, Hadi can be seen in the background laughing along and adjusting a cushion on Dr Mahathir’s seat as the latter joked with Sanusi.
This came after it was reported that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain had said police were supposed to take Hadi’s statement yesterday, but had postponed the meeting due to Hadi’s “health issues”.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Hadi was being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948 over a speech he had delivered at a Perikatan Nasional campaign event at the Bakri PAS headquarters in Johor.
Hadi had claimed then that under Islamic principles, the party that has a right to grant a pardon is a victim’s family members, not the Pardons Board. – September 3, 2023