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Iman Muttaqin Yusof

Malaysian police have contacted Islamist opposition leader Abdul Hadi Awang over his explosive claim that the United States once offered to help his party topple the government – an allegation Washington has flatly dismissed as false.
The controversy erupted after Hadi told thousands of delegates at the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) congress in Kelantan on Saturday that American representatives had approached party leaders when Barack Obama visited Malaysia in 2014.
Hadi’s political secretary Syahir Che Sulaiman told This Week in Asia on Monday that federal police headquarters Bukit Aman had contacted the PAS president following several police reports over remarks he made at the party’s annual congress.
“Hadi has been informed and is ready to give the police his full cooperation,” Syahir said, adding that a date and time would be fixed “in the near future”.

Bukit Aman criminal investigation department chief M Kumar said in a statement late Monday that police were investigating the case under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, which covers statements that may cause public alarm, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act for improper use of network facilities or services.
Police had received 12 reports on the issue and recorded statements from 12 witnesses, Kumar said. Hadi’s statement would be taken “in the near future” to complete the investigation.
If convicted under Section 505(b), Hadi could face up to two years in prison, a fine or both. Section 233 carries a maximum fine of 500,000 ringgit (US$120,000), up to two years in prison, or both.
During his winding-up speech at the 72nd PAS annual congress on Saturday, Hadi said several party leaders had been invited to the US embassy during Obama’s visit to Malaysia.
“We were invited to meet at the US embassy,” Hadi said. “They wanted to discuss it, they were prepared to help topple the government and take over the government. America was prepared to help.”
Malaysia was then governed by Barisan Nasional under Najib Razak, while PAS belonged to the now-defunct opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance alongside Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s People’s Justice Party (PKR) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP).
Hadi said senior PAS figures Takiyuddin Hassan, Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and Mustafa Ali had attended the meeting.
He claimed a US ambassador later asked to meet him directly and wanted to know whom PAS would support as prime minister.
“He asked, ‘Who does PAS propose as prime minister?’” Hadi said.
“I said, ‘Who does America agree with?’”
Hadi said he later told former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad about the exchange, and Mahathir told him it had been a “good response”.

But the US embassy rejected Hadi’s account.
“The United States has never sought to decide Malaysia’s political leadership,” chargé d’affaires David H. Gamble Jnr said on Sunday. “Any account to the contrary is false.”
Obama’s April 2014 trip was the first visit to Malaysia by a sitting US president in nearly half a century.
He met Najib and upgraded bilateral ties to a comprehensive partnership, while also publicly raising human rights and political freedoms. Obama did not meet Anwar during the visit.
Three PKR officials lodged police reports at Cheras police station on Sunday, according to state news agency Bernama.
One of them, PKR Bandar Tun Razak branch vice-chief V. Jonathan, said the reports were intended to ensure that any alleged attempt to overthrow or weaken Malaysia’s government and parliamentary democracy through unconstitutional means would be investigated.
Cheras district police chief Mohd Rosdi Daud confirmed receiving the reports at about 5pm on Sunday and said they would be referred to Wangsa Maju district police headquarters.
Why ‘overreact’?
PAS has since turned the row back on Anwar’s governing coalition, accusing Pakatan Harapan figures of “overreacting” even though Hadi had not accused them of involvement.
“What interest do they have in this issue? Why suddenly overreact and make police reports?” PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari wrote in a statement shared on social media on Monday.
“Did the PAS president link anyone from Pakatan Harapan to this issue? Not at all. So why are they overreacting? Or are they actually connected?”

The argument carries an added political charge because Anwar has long had publicly documented links with American democracy organisations, including the congressionally funded National Endowment for Democracy.
NED’s former president Carl Gershman said in 2019 that he had first met Anwar in Washington in 2005 after his release from prison. Anwar later delivered NED’s annual Seymour Martin Lipset Lecture on Democracy, speaking on “Confronting Authoritarianism”.
PAS and Anwar were themselves allies when the alleged approach took place. Pakatan Rakyat won about 52 per cent of the popular vote in Malaysia’s 2013 general election but failed to take power.
The alliance collapsed two years later after increasingly bitter clashes between PAS and DAP over the Islamist party’s push to enforce hudud criminal law in Kelantan.


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PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (centre, in vest) attends the party’s annual convention Kota Bharu, Malaysia, on Friday. Photo: Facebook/abdulhadiawang

PAS delegates attend the party’s annual convention in Kota Bharu, Malaysia, on Friday. Photo: Facebook/abdulhadiawang

Supporters of PAS wave flags in Pekan, Malaysia. The party holds 43 parliamentary seats and governs Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis. Photo: AFP

PAS delegates at the party’s annual convention on Friday. Photo: Facebook/abdulhadiawang

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The US has rejected Abdul Hadi Awang’s claim that it offered help to change Malaysia’s political leadership during Obama’s visit in 2014


The US has rejected Abdul Hadi Awang’s claim that it offered help to change Malaysia’s political leadership during Obama’s visit in 2014.


PAS chief to face Malaysian police over claims US would help ‘topple’ government

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The US has rejected Abdul Hadi Awang’s claim that it offered help to change Malaysia’s political leadership during Obama’s visit in 2014

The US has rejected Abdul Hadi Awang’s claim that it offered help to change Malaysia’s political leadership during Obama’s visit in 2014