Pakatan Harapan (PH) Women’s chief Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu has called for an immediate investigation into PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang over his claim that a representative of the US Embassy had asked about the party’s potential prime ministerial candidate.
Aiman Athirah, who is also Amanah Women’s chief, said two senior PAS leaders named by the Marang MP — Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar — should also be investigated given the seriousness of the allegation.
She questioned why Abdul Hadi had not reported the alleged incident to the authorities, instead choosing to raise it during PAS’ 72nd Muktamar in Kota Bharu on Saturday.
“If there was indeed an attempt at foreign interference to topple the Malaysian government, it is not something to be celebrated on a political stage. It should have been reported to the authorities as it concerns the country’s security and sovereignty.
“Abdul Hadi’s allegation is extremely serious and he, along with the individuals he named, must be investigated immediately. Can Malaysia’s security and sovereignty be something PAS could, and has, compromised all this while?” she said in a statement today.
Abdul Hadi had claimed on Saturday that a US Embassy representative once asked him about PAS’ proposed candidate for prime minister.
He said the meeting took place when PAS was still part of Pakatan Rakyat, around the time of then-US president Barack Obama’s visit to Malaysia.
The US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur subsequently denied ever attempting to determine Malaysia’s political leadership, describing claims to the contrary as false.
US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires David H Gamble Jr said the United States had never sought to determine who should lead Malaysia.
Aiman Athirah said the fact that the US Embassy had been compelled to issue a clarification over Abdul Hadi’s claim of political interference was itself embarrassing for Malaysia on the international stage.
She said Malaysian politics should not be built on conspiracy theories, perceptions or half-baked allegations, which she claimed had become a pattern within PAS.
“Barely had the Merdeka celebrations subsided when Malaysians were confronted with a serious allegation involving a foreign power and the country’s domestic politics.
“Such allegations are not trivial as they touch on national sovereignty, the integrity of the democratic process and the dignity of Malaysian politics,” she said.
