Ulama: Dr M should offer an apology if he has wronged Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR: Islam demands that ex-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad offer an apology to former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim if the latter was wronged and sent to jail 20 years ago.
Pas ulama leaders from the Syura Council said whether the mistakes were new or old, apology was demanded in Islam.
Pas central working committee member Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali warned that one’s sins or wrongdoings would follow into the afterlife.
“As a Muslim, we must seek forgiveness for our wrongdoings, especially when the mistake affects someone’s dignity.
“We must know that if we don’t apologise, our mistake will haunt us even in the afterlife,” said Khairuddin.
Yesterday, it was reported that in an interview with Australian broadcast agency SBS World News, Dr Mahathir said he had no intention of apologising to his former protégé and now ally.
He said this was because what happened between them was an old story and at the same time, he had never demanded an apology from his detractors for denigrating him.
Pas vice-president Idris Ahmad questioned Dr Mahathir’s stand in not seeking Anwar’s forgiveness.
“But well, that’s Dr Mahathir. Doesn’t matter if the mistake is old or new, we will have to carry our misdeeds into the afterlife.
“Besides, what’s wrong with apologising?
“If we look from the political context, it looks like they have no issue with each other.
“Of course, they will just say they have moved on from the past.
“But we’re Muslims. We should know what is wrong and what is right,” said Idris.
Anwar was Dr Mahathir’s deputy until he fell out with the latter in 1998.
The former finance minister was imprisoned after he was convicted of corruption and sodomy charges .
Anwar was released from prison in 2004 and went on to lead the opposition coalition but was jailed again in 2015 on separate sodomy charges and is currently behind bars serving a five-year sentence.
Last September, Anwar and Dr Mahathir met in public for the first time in 18 years, sparking widespread criticism that the reunion was a political ploy.
As a Muslim, we must seek forgiveness for our wrongdoings, especially when the mistake affects someone’s dignity. We must know that if we don’t apologise, our mistake will haunt us even in the afterlife.