Umno information chief Annuar Musa said the party had not received any invitation to join the gathering from PAS, as the organiser.

“Umno has yet to take an official stand on the matter… it’s all up to the president

“I have talked about this with the Umno senior leaders earlier today, but we have not received any invitation,” he told a press conference after attending a corporate discourse titled “Gagasan Menjunjung Amanah Rakyat” here yesterday.

Nevertheless, Annuar said he was of the opinion that the gathering was necessary to provide some answers and offer a better explanation on the proposed amendment to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 to the public.

“Personally, I think any gathering to provide explanation to the public so that they can obtain greater understanding is a good thing to do as it (the amendments) have become a theme of polemical exchange and issue of public concern.”

On Jan 7, the organising chairman, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, said PAS would hold a gathering to provide to the public a full explanation on the private member’s Bill.

He explained that PAS was the party responsible for providing the explanation as the bill was brought first by its president, Abdul Hadi Awang, and it should be done before the next sitting of Parliament in March.