KUALA LUMPUR – A PAS central committee member has defended party president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, who is being investigated by police for stating that non-Muslims are the major cause of corruption.
Dr Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki cited a survey by an unnamed local university which found that between 2010 and 2014, 88% of 449 people who were convicted of giving bribes were non-Malays.
Writing on his Facebook page as well as in PAS’ organ Harakah Daily, Zuhdi said that of the total percentage, 57.46% were Chinese, 30.51% were Indians and 12.03% were Malays.
“This study was also published in an international journal of repute at a well-known university in the US.
“The truth is, what was said by the PAS president is in line with this study. Therefore, Pakatan Harapan (PH) should not be inflaming racial sentiments for their political agenda,” Zuhdi said.
Citing the study, Zuhdi said that the main reasons bribes were paid was to escape penalties under the law, or to speed up decisions by government agencies in relation to bids and tenders.
Zuhdi said PH, especially component party DAP, was turning Hadi’s remarks into an issue for political mileage because the opposition coalition relied heavily on Chinese votes, which helped it win in the 2018 general election.
The PAS leader acknowledged that corruption involved all races, including the Malays. The same study, he added, showed that Malays were the majority when it came to receiving bribes.
“The ones always blamed in corruption are those who receive bribes, whereas the givers are part of the problem that should be curbed. This is the essence of what the PAS president was saying.”
Hadi has given his statement to police after 28 reports were lodged against him for saying non-Muslims were the “roots of corruption” in a Facebook post.
At the PAS muktamar or annual general assembly last weekend in Kedah, he remained unapologetic, saying he was ready to be charged in court. – The Vibes, September 7, 2022
