KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Datuk Mohammad Agus Yusoff has today slammed PAS for straying from its roots of fighting for social justice, to what he called as hunger for power to the point of manipulating religious sentiments and rhetoric.

The director-general of the Community Communication Department (J-Kom) under the Prime Minister’s Department gave the example of the Islamist party promising heaven for those who support them while threatening hell for those who are against it.

"I am really uncomfortable with PAS’ current politics. When we reprimand and criticise it, we're considered misguided and evil. When it used to view corruption as disgusting, now PAS calls it donation.

"There is no more compassion in PAS' politics. What is left is only hatred for those who are different from it,” the former professor wrote on Facebook.

He was responding to the criticisms by PAS' supporters after he raised three main issues in a Facebook post on Monday, following his recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri trip back to his home state in the state currently governed by the Islamist party.

He had mentioned the low and poor water pressure, badly maintained roads and the filthy environment due to garbage disposal issues in Kelantan — but was met with criticisms by who those who can stomach the issues as long as they are under a supposed Islamic administration.

"I think this kind of politics that PAS promotes should be rejected. I really hope that young people, as well as voters, who want our country to progress in harmony, reject this kind of politics.

"Our country needs to be safe for its people to live in peace. Fortunately, PAS did not come to power in the last general election,” he added.

Agus said PAS as a political party in the past was different from the present — he said while it used to defend truth, the party now just belittles it.

Mohammad Agus said he grew up in a PAS household and supported the party’s ideals throughout his adult life, despite not being a party member.

The former political analyst explained that the basis of his attraction to PAS then was simple as the party used to uphold Islamic justice and social justice, but now any criticisms against it would be attacked.

"We will be accused of rejecting Islam. We will then be called nasty names, where our character is tarnished and our mental strength drained.

"Aside from religion, PAS will use race and ethnicity issues that in the past were considered 'asabiyyah' and now needed to be rejected,” he said, using the Arabic term for "tribalism”.

PAS is currently part of the federal opposition Perikatan Nasional.

In a statement issued just a day before Muslims celebrate Aidilfitri, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang had again accused the DAP of Islamophobia and communism as part of his regular scare-mongering aimed at the majority community.