Zaharudin has been dropping nuggets of hints regarding the alleged ‘dedak cartel’ within PAS through his Facebook posts since May 9. — Picture by KE Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 ― PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's son-in-law today explained that his public disclosure of an alleged “cartel dedak” or group within the Islamist party that purportedly took funds from former foe Umno was a pre-emptive move.

Zaharudin Muhammad, who was a former member of PAS' influential Syura Council, said he did not want the party to be dragged down together along with Umno.

In a Facebook post, Zaharudin said he had two options in his “mission” of distancing the PAS president, the Council and central committee from being linked to the alleged practice of taking “dedak” (animal feed) ― an allusion to taking funds as bribes in exchange for political support.

Zaharudin said he could protest silently, but said the outcome of such an option would be that PAS members and the public perceiving the PAS president, the Majlis Syura Ulama and PAS central to be engaging in taking “dedak”.

“If this choice is made, the bigger effect that can happen is if Umno and the SRC case and such are dragged, then not only Umno and DS Najib will be punished, but PAS and PAS leadership can also get dragged,” he said on his Facebook page today.

He was referring to former Umno president and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is now facing trial for multiple cases including over money-laundering charges in relation to former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) unit SRC International Sdn Bhd's RM42 million.

Zaharudin alleged of the possibility that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration would use allegations of such “dedak” practices to nab PAS leaders if unable to charge them with evidence, asking if PAS should only then deny such money-laundering claims.

Zaharudin went on to outline the second option which he had taken.

“Or the second choice is expose before it is too late. The consequence is those who love the congregation and don't like those who criticise the party openly will be angry towards me,” he said, but believed it would be a safer choice for PAS' long-term future as he claimed the PH government preferred trial by media instead of in the courts.

Zaharudin has been dropping nuggets of hints regarding the alleged “dedak cartel” within PAS through his Facebook posts since May 9.

Yesterday, he listed out the five individuals who he claimed to be in the “dedak cartel”, using the nicknames Dr Hussam II, Mr NT, Mr KT, Mr KH, Semua dah tahu.

“My mission is simple, expose the dedak cartel to save the leadership and the party from being smeared with the image of lying and dedak (not trustworthy and no integrity),” he said in his Facebook post yesterday, having declined to reveal the full names of the alleged five.

Zaharudin stressed however that his expose regarding the dedak cartel was not linked to the accusation that PAS previously received RM90 million from Umno.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hasan was reported saying on Saturday that Zaharudin would be called in to explain his comments regarding the “dedak cartel”.

* A previous version of this story contained an error which has since been corrected.