Entering active politics to counter misleading narratives about Islam in Malaysia is a new challenge for 30-year-old religious scholar Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin.
The Islamic studies doctorate student said today, however, that his decision to join Bersatu was partly made on the realisation that there is a need to counter certain arguments made by politicians who used religion for their own benefit.
"There are people who say that if everyone who wishes to remain honest and speak the truth remains outside of politics, they (their views) would be masked by those willing to abuse their positions and any available opportunities to fulfil their desires.
"This is a big responsibility, because I have always held the view that by remaining on the outside, it would be easier to remain impartial (in offering criticisms)," Abu Hafiz told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, after being officially announced as Klang Bersatu's latest member.
"I am ready, InsyaAllah, to be labelled or viewed in a certain manner, so long as I keep telling myself to continue speaking the truth.
"This is for people to see new faces (in politics)... and to not be so tied to political idealism that it eclipses the truth," he said when asked to comment on the public perception of religious scholars-turned-politicians, whose views are often regarded as being biased towards a certain party or agenda.
Abu Hafiz had earlier cited the example of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (photo) referencing the Hadith to back the party's stand against the need to nominate a prime ministerial candidate.
"The irony is that he (Hadi) did not make the same argument when the PAS Ulama council said that the party's prime ministerial candidate should be their own president.
"At the time, was he yet to discover the Hadith?" Abu Hafiz said, referring to a remark from the council at the party’s annual muktamar in 2012, several months before the 13th general election.
'Prized catch'
Bersatu supreme council member Rais Hussin had earlier announced Abu Hafiz's entry into the party, and also confirmed his appointment as deputy chairperson of its central strategy and policy bureau.
Based on Abu Hafiz's academic credentials, Rais (photo) also described his entry as a "prized catch" for Bersatu, to strengthen its ability to counter "misleading" narratives on Islam by PAS and Umno.
"Bersatu's foundation has always been on Malay and Islam. Now we are just strengthening our narrative and most importantly to give the correct explanations to 'misleading' narratives," he said.
Among others, Rais said the party is expecting issues surrounding Islam to resonate among the 42 percent of rural voters who have the powers to determine up to 65 percent of parliamentary seats.- Mkini
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