By Debra ChongKUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — PAS today distanced itself from blogger Kickdefella’s (pic)allegations that it was behind a RM4 million plot to topple former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi since 2004.
PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali today took pains to distance the party from the claims by Kickdefella or Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz, stressing the Islamist party would never use such underhanded tactics to undermine the leadership of a rival political party, let alone individual politicians.
“There is no such thing as toppling Pak Lah as an individual, Najib as an individual,” he told reporters, referring to Malaysia’s fifth prime minister by his moniker, and his successor, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“It’s not PAS’ agenda…but if PAS members did it, I don’t know,” he said when quizzed if the Islamist party’s members may have been involved.
Mustafa was responding to claims by controversial blogger, Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz that PAS was involved in a three-year smear campaign against the Abdullah administration.
Better known by his online moniker “Kickdefella”, Syed Azidi was a liaison officer with Kelantan Mentri Besar Incorporated (PMBK), the state’s investment arm, until he was fired last November.
He was reported to have disclosed to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) the identity of the mystery sponsor behind a RM4 million fund for him to run the smear campaign, codenamed “Operasi Gerak Saraf while serving in the PAS-led Kelantan state government .
He also alleged that the Kelantan PAS government had channelled the funds to him to organise psychological war activities to discredit the federal government to ensure that PAS continued to rule Kelantan.
It is unclear what offence is being investigated by the MACC.
“Where would I get that much money to handle Operasi Gerak Saraf to create a perception that could weaken Prime Minister Abdullah and eventually make it easier for PAS to defeat Barisan Nasional in Kelantan?” Syed Azidi had said previously.
“He’s a man of no integrity,” Mustafa said of the 39-year-old.
“Not only a man of no integrity but a political mercenary,” the PAS man added.
Mustafa told reporters at PAS headquarters here he had checked with the party administration at both central and state levels and was assured that PAS had never released RM4 million to fund Syed Azidi, as insinuated.
He also denied knowing the details behind another claim by Syed Azidi that the money had been funnelled through Global Media Channel (GMC), a company once headed by Syed Azidi's wife and a number of Kelantan PAS leaders.
However, the secretary-general said he would not sue the former right-hand man of Kelantan executive councillor Datuk Husam Musa, preferring to leave any legal action to the state.
“Many people, including from Umno, want to see PAS in trouble,” he noted.
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