“There’s no connection whatsoever.
“Who is actually obsessed about this Wahhabism, Asyaari, Maturidi and Sunnis?
“This wasn’t an issue back then; we are only hearing of it now,” PKR’s Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty told FMT.
The head of PKR’s Bureau for Religious Understanding was responding to an interview given by controversial activist-cum-lawyer Siti Kasim to a news portal yesterday.
Muhammad Nur, the former president of Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) — an organisation which was once led by Anwar — also rubbished Siti’s assertions that the former Opposition leader was responsible for Islamisation.
“Islamisation among Malays began in Malacca during the 15th century, when Parameswara converted and changed his name to Sultan Muzafar Shah.
“It (Islamisation) is a continuous process. There is no compulsion; only Siti Kasim, who is lagging behind,” he told FMT.
Islamisation refers to a process initiated under the administration of former Premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the early 1980s, in what was seen as an effort to weaken PAS’ Islamic influence at the time.
In an interview with Malay Mail Online, Siti said she was “the happiest person” when Anwar was arrested the first time for sodomy and corruption.
“I’m not joking because I think Malaysia was safe at that time. But then, unfortunately, of course, the people had already been brainwashed by then.
“He already set in place this brainwashing in school.
“I blame it on him; he’s the one who brought in Islamisation to Malaysia. It’s nothing wrong to bring in good things, but he’s bringing in the Wahhabism kind of Islam,” she was reported as saying by the portal.