KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29 — Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today directly censured PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang over an open letter urging the Malay Rulers, among others, to defend Islam in the country, calling this an affront the country’s royal institution.

In a statement released online, the Selangor Royal Office said the Sultan was extremely disappointed with Hadi’s statement, the contents of which showed that the PAS president did not read a letter the Sultan Sharafuddin sent him before that.

“Hadi’s cynical remarks indirectly connecting the Sultan’s decree to the attitude of Rulers who must be concerned with the afterlife and not pursue worldly interests alone, was most inappropriate and ill-mannered, given the Malay culture to always be respectful and polite when expressing views and advice to the Malay Rulers,” the Sultan said.

“Hadi’s remarks not only mislead but could also cause disquiet that could eventually lead to the fracturing of Muslim unity, especially among the Malays in the country.”

The Sultan told Hadi to be more careful in future remarks on the topic, telling the PAS president to put in the effort to understand the Sultan’s messages before offering responses.

He also questioned Hadi’s sudden interest in questioning the Federal Constitution’s position as the supreme law of the land, noting that it enshrined Islam as the religion of the federation in 1957 and has not altered this in any way the entire time.

“His Highness advises Tan Sri Hadi to be more careful in the future so that he does not again insult the Malay Rulers through his remarks that could divide the Muslims in the country.

“His Highness also decrees that all politicians and political leaders must not manipulate Islam and smear the pure religion for the political interests of their parties.”

After the Federal Court ruled in favour of a petition to invalidate 16 from 18 provisions of the Kelantan Shariah criminal enactment earlier this month, Hadi lashed out at the judges, suggesting they remain shackled by colonial mentality.

He followed this up with the letter cited here by the Sultan of Selangor, in which he denounced the Federal Constitution as the product of colonisers who wanted to deceive Muslims into surrendering Islam’s authority.

Hadi also said it was incumbent on scholars, lawyers, judges, federal and state lawmakers as well as Malay Rulers to correct this, with a pointed passage that said Rulers must set their sights on the afterlife over worldly interests.

The Sultan of Selangor is also chairman of the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs.