KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Bersatu vice president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali popularised the term “Pak Lebai” as a pejorative for PAS members, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed today after one of the Islamist party’s leaders took offence over the phrase.
The Umno president alleged that as far back as 2017, Azmin had been already using the term meaning “devout Muslim uncle” in Malay to mock the Islamist party’s members.
Zahid then reminded PAS that it was also not above using slurs and pejoratives on its rivals, noting that the Islamist party has called Umno and Barisan Nasional animals and worse.
“All while they dislike being associated with a term, even if it is just ‘Pak Lebai’,” he said, after adding that the phrase was innocuous.
“Use your politics to strengthen your religion, and not use your religion to strengthen your political interests.”
Previously, PAS vice-president Datuk Nik Amar Abdullah reportedly said that being called “Pak Lebai” was better than being dubbed bandits, in veiled reference to the corruption allegations against Umno and its leaders.
On Wednesday, Zahid reportedly said that BN would reject any overtures from PAS after the GE15 as the Islamic party was “unfaithful”.
Referring to the party as “Pak Lebai”, he said PAS leaders were often fickle-minded in their stance and had a tendency to manipulate Quranic verses and hadiths to suit their own purposes.
PAS and Umno had been discussing their possible cooperation in the 15th general election until earlier this month, when the former finally committed to Perikatan Nasional and Bersatu.
