Too early to interpret PM-Hadi meeting as a move towards 'tahaluf siyasi'

It is too early to interpret the meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang as a move towards 'tahaluf siyasi' or political collaboration between UMNO and PAS.

Instead, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, it should be lauded as the first move to unite Muslims in the country, apart from portraying a better image of Islam.

"Don't go making interpretations about the meeting. It is too early to call it a tahaluf siyasi," he said at a "Leaders with the People" session and ground-breaking ceremony for a new mosque in Kampung Keluru Jaya here today.

Ahmad Zahid was referring to the meeting between Najib and Abdul Hadi during the opening of the Malaysian Al-Azhar Alumni Regional Seminar (Multaqa) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The prime minister and Abdul Hadi were seen to have greeted each other warmly and later joined hands with other alumni luminaries on stage after Najib opened the seminar.

Abdul Hadi, who spoke before Najib, stressed the need for unity among Muslims, while Najib, in his speech, quoted the Quran on the obligation of Muslims to be united and called on Abdul Hadi to join him in bringing all Muslims together.