JOHOR BAHRU, MALAYSIA November 22, 2025 – Central Executive Committee (CEC) member of DAP and Johor DAP Vice Chairman, Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, has slammed PAS Selangor Youth for needing to “look inside their own house” first before accusing the DAP Youth chief of being uncivilised and ill-mannered.
In a media statement issued yesterday (21 November 2025), Sheikh Umar stressed that PAS itself has a long record of issuing insulting remarks, including from the party’s top leadership.
“Several top PAS leaders – including the party President – have used metaphors such as monkeys, apes, and phrases like ‘brain in the stomach’ against political opponents. If such statements are considered uncivilised, then they remain uncivilised no matter who utters them,” he said firmly.
Sheikh Umar also listed several other examples, including:
– Labelling political opponents as enemies of Islam;
– Belittling other ethnic communities;
– Making serious accusations without evidence;
– Using sharp rhetoric laced with racism.
He described PAS’s frequent claims of championing the Culture of Mature and Prosperous Politics (Budaya Politik Matang dan Sejahtera – BPMS) while failing to practise it as a form of “hypocrisy”.
“Professing high morals while engaging in insults is nothing but hypocrisy,” he said, quoting verse 135 from Surah An-Nisa’ which calls on Muslims to uphold justice even against themselves.
Sheikh Umar further reminded PAS that building a moral-based politics is not merely a “political tool” – it must be proven through words and actions.
“If PAS truly wants Malaysian politics to be more civilised, reform must begin within PAS itself. Dignified leadership starts with the honesty to correct one’s own mistakes,” he stated.
He concluded his statement with a hadith of the Prophet SAW: “The believer with the most complete faith is the one with the best character” (Narrated by Tirmizi).
The statement is seen as DAP’s direct counter-response to a memorandum recently submitted by PAS Selangor Youth demanding an apology from the DAP Youth chief over remarks deemed uncivilised. This controversy is expected to further strain relations between DAP and PAS, despite both parties being part of the federal unity government.
