Hadi v Pua?

Utusan Malaysia had a field day claiming that Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, PAS President specifically opposed my position with regards to the "controversial" suggestion at the Selangor state budget dialogue to remove discounts for luxury properties for bumiputeras.

UMNO's Muhyiddin and MCA leaders joined in the fun by claiming that Pakatan is inherently unstable due to policy or opinion differences. MCA's criticism's quite funny because, they don't have any opinion on any issues deemed controversial and will just submit to UMNO's views.

But before, we get into the act of throwing daggers at one another, here's a relook at what exactly Datuk Seri Hadi Awang said, as reported by HarakahDaily. In fact, if you don't trust the reporting by Harakah, then view the interview video for yourself here.

Hadi: Race-based policies to help poor un-Islamic
Harakahdaily

KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 9: PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang has reiterated his stance that any policy to help the poor should not be race-based, and similarly the issue of giving discount for properties should be looked at in the same perspective.

Commenting on a proposal by Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua to abolish Bumiputera discount for luxury residential properties above RM500,000, Hadi said although the suggestion was yet to be discussed, it was agreed that the focus should be on helping the poor regardless of race and address the mismanagement of the economy.

“We have yet to discuss anything on it in Pakatan Rakyat. We need to discuss it in the top leaderships council,” Hadi told reporters at a launching event of his latest book in Terengganu.

On whether he agreed that the current practice of giving discount to Bumiputeras even for high-end residential and commercial properties should be abolished, Hadi stressed that discounts for purchase of properties should be extended to all Malaysians and not just Malays.

“What’s happening today is that it did not reach the target group, it only benefited UMNO leaders,” he said.

'Not at the cost of others'

Saying it was understandable that most of the lower-income group were found among the Bumiputera who formed the majority in the country, Hadi said it helping them should not be at the cost of other communities.

“We need to consider the majority of the people who is plagued by poverty.

"At the same time, we (Muslims) must help other races which are also poor and in need of defence,” he added, saying it was wrong for Muslims to oppress other races while protecting the interest of the Malays only.

He further pointed out that the root of the problem could be found in Barisan Nasional's mismanagement of the economic system.

“I cannot understand the principles and the economic system adopted by the Barisan Nasional.

"We have a lot of subsidies, but there are too many mismanagement and leakages – hence, the problems are not subsidies but poor management."

Hadi also said Pua's suggestion may have stemmed out of unhappiness such mismanagement.

“Maybe he is not pleased with the management (of Bumi’s discount) but we need to look into implementation," he said.

Earlier, Hadi's statement appeared to have been taken out of context, with UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia reporting that he supported the practice of giving discounts for Bumiputeras to purchase high-end properties.