KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) has reportedly downplayed a PAS member who labelled DAP as "belligerent infidels” using the term "kafir harbi”, saying he had merely "misspoke”.

Its director for the Nenggiri by-election, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, said that the man has since been "rested” for three days and will not join any party events.

"He misspoke. In a by-election, we do not want any sentiments or tensions to arise,” Berita Harian reported him saying in an event last night.

"Therefore, PAS secretary-general, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, informed me that we have asked our people to stay calm, and this serves as a reminder to others.”

Annuar also said that there is no need for the coalition to apologise, since it was a personal remark and not a stance of PN.

"A Barisan Nasional leader who mistakenly said ‘long live Israel’ is still holding his position,” he said, mocking Deputy Prime Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s recent gaffe at a pro-Palestine rally.

Muslim leaders from DAP has recently slammed PAS after a member emceeing a rally declared the former party "kafir harbi” in Malaysia.

The DAP leaders highlighted that the remark was "takfiri” — a scorned practice of declaring fellow Muslims "infidels”.

The remark was also called out by the deputy minister in charge of religious affairs Senator Zulkifli Hasan, who called the occurence "dangerous”.

The terms "kafir harbi” and "kafir dhimmi” are archaic theocratic terms referring to "belligerent infidels” and "protected infidels” respectively, allowing the bloodshed of the former by Muslims.