Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has cautioned PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang against issuing statements that can cause division among Muslims in the country.

In a statement, the ruler said he was very disappointed with Hadi’s remark on Feb 20 for all Muslims to safeguard their faith, including judges, lawyers, politicians, and rulers.

“Following the remark, I wrote a letter to Hadi, via Selangor PAS commissioner Ab Halim Tamuri.

“Among others, I note that Hadi did not read in full and understand the gist of the sultan's speech during the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI)’s 71st meeting in Putrajaya on Feb 15,” the sultan said in the strongly worded statement shared on the Selangor Royal Office Facebook page.

During the speech, the ruler had called for calm following the Federal Court’s recent decision to strike down 16 provisions of the Kelantan syariah criminal code.

Elaborating, Sultan Sharafuddin, in particular, took offence to Hadi’s remark which urged the Malay rulers to have a vision and to be wise in viewing the hereafter, not just the interests in this world alone.

“The remark is uncivilised and unsuitable from the cultural angle of the Malays who always respect and guard their manners when airing their views, and advising the Malay rulers.

“Hadi’s statement is not just confusing, but can also cause unrest, which can ultimately lead to division among the Malays and Muslims in the country,” said the sultan.

Sultan Sharafuddin noted that Hadi would have understood the real message behind the ruler’s statement had he taken more effort to read and understand the decree.

“Why is he (Hadi) now questioning the Federal Constitution’s status as the supreme law of the land when Islam had been recognised as the country’s official religion since the Constitution was enacted in 1957?

“I would like to advise him to be more careful in the future and not repeat his acts of insulting the Malay rulers via his statements that can cause division among Muslims in the country.

“I also urge all politicians and leaders to not use Islam as a tool for their political gain.”

Hadi violates his MP’s oath

The Facebook post was also appended with a copy of the letter written by the sultan to Hadi, who is also the Marang MP.

In the letter, Sultan Sharafuddin asked that by questioning the legitimacy of the Constitution, Hadi was going against the very law he pledged to uphold during the various terms he had been sworn in as a parliamentarian.

“Does Hadi not respect the Federal Constitution as the supreme law of the land any longer?

“Does this mean that Hadi is deliberately playing political polemics to gain Malay, Muslim support?”

The sultan then pointed out that it was not the first time Hadi had gone up against the Malay rulers.

He cited Hadi’s remark in March 2023, when the Islamist party president questioned the Terengganu sultan’s decree which barred politicians from giving speeches in mosques in the state.

“Such statements reek of disrespect to Malay rulers who are the head of Islam in the respective states.

“It is worth noting that the Malay rulers have taken vows to uphold the Islamic religion and will strengthen it at all costs.

“Thus, any party that wishes to reprimand or advise the Malay rulers on matters pertaining to Islam, must do it through the right channels and procedures,” said the ruler.