KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — The police will record PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s statement regarding his recent remark on upholding Islam at the party’s headquarters here tomorrow.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said Abdul Hadi’s special officer set the date after informing the police about the Marang Member of Parliament’s health condition, which is improving.

“We will record his (Abdul Hadi Awang) statement tomorrow at 2.30 pm at the PAS Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur,” he told reporters at PULAPOL here today.

He was met after witnessing the handing-over of duties between the outgoing Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Kamarudin Md Din, who has been appointed Internal Security and Public Order Department, to Datuk Khaw Kok Chin.

The handing over of duties also involved former Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali, who has been appointed director-general of the newly formed Malaysia Checkpoints and Border Agency to Mohd Kamarudin.

Last Friday, Razarudin was reported to have said that the police had opened an investigation paper under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 against Abdul Hadi regarding his statement published on the PAS news portal last Feb 20, which was allegedly addressed to several parties including the Malay Rulers.

On Feb 29, Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah expressed deep regret over the statement made by Abdul Hadi Awang which was addressed to religious scholars, judges, lawyers, members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies, as well as the Malay Rulers.

In a post on the Selangor Royal Office Facebook page today, Sultan Sharafuddin conveyed this sentiment by sending a letter to Abdul Hadi through Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Ab Halim Tamuri.

In the letter, Sultan Sharafuddin, among other things, said Abdul Hadi had made the statement without thoroughly reading His Royal Highness’ speech at the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) meeting on Feb 15.

Sultan Sharafuddin described as highly inappropriate Abdul Hadi’s statement as it “not only confuses but also can cause anxiety that could ultimately lead to division in Muslim unity, especially among Malays in this country”. — Bernama