[UPDATED] T’ganu PAS Youth parades warrior cosplay with swords, shields

JOHOR BARU – Photos and videos of what appear to be PAS members marching on the streets armed with swords, shields, and body armour, as well as bows and arrows, are making their rounds on social media. 

Following a Facebook posting by PAS coordinating officer for the Permaisuri state constituency Zul Bhari A. Rahman, the march is understood to have taken place in Setiu, Terengganu by the party’s state youth wing. 

Meanwhile, a TikTok video by user @ryzz_official shows the words “Mujahidin Marang” in front of two men dressed in medieval-like warrior armour. One carries a shield while the other a bow for shooting arrows. 

Mujahidin is a term sometimes used to describe guerilla fighters. 

@ryzz_official77 HIMPIT 2023?✊? #himpit2023 #pemudaterengganu #pemudapasmalaysia #pasterengganu #perikatannasional #pasterbaikuntuksemua? #fypシ #foryoupageofficiall ♬ Sholawat Ya Nabi - Musik islami

Additionally, another video on TikTok by user @ziyadzakaria4u shows another footage of the participants marching with weapons as the video plays music containing the words “death to the infidels”.

The video also shows PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang at the event, with children present.

@ziyadzakaria4u Himpunan Pemuda Islam Terengganu. #himpit2023 ♬ DragonForce Malaysia Administrator - ?????????

According to PAS public relations officer Mohd Shahir Abu Hassan in a brief WhatsApp conversation with The Vibes, the event was held on Friday and Saturday in light of the looming state election, due by the middle of the year. 

“They were participating in the Himpunan Pemuda Islam Terengganu (Himpit) (Terengganu PAS youth assembly) for two days on Friday and Saturday. 

“You know that the Terengganu election is near, so they (Himpit) want to create momentum. 

“The uniforms they wore were part of the programme,” Shahir told The Vibes.

FMT reported PAS Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who was present at the event, as saying that he found it peculiar that individuals were marching with swords, spears and shields.

He explained that he only saw pictures of the men with weapons this morning and assured he did not join them during the march.

@lohhamba gelombang kami terus membara. doa doakan #pasforall #pnbest #himpit ♬ Conquest of Paradise - Vangelis

Meanwhile, The Malaysian Insight quoted Setiu district police chief Afandi Hussin as saying that they are not able to determine whether the weapons used in the march were replicas or authentic.

Currently, he explained, police are assessing whether there are legal grounds to take any form of action.

He confirmed that the organiser of the march had been called in for questioning to assist with investigations into the matter. – The Vibes, February 19, 2023

Additional reporting by Zaidatul Syreen Abdul Rashid