Portal slammed for report on portraits

Old tradition: A man looking at the portraits of the past and present leaders at PAS’ archive exhibition held in conjunction with its 68th PAS muktamar at Kedah PAS Complex in Alor Setar. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

ALOR SETAR: PAS Youth information chief Khairul Nadzir Helmi Azhar has hit out at an online portal over its report on the absence of a portrait of its late spiritual leader, Datuk Seri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, at the party’s muktamar.

“At the portraits gallery, there are no portraits of any past party spiritual leaders. Why make this an issue?” he said, adding that the report did not point out the absence of the portrait of another former spiritual adviser, the late Datuk Dr Haron Din.

He accused the portal of trying to “mess up” the muktamar (general assembly).

The 68th meeting is taking place for the first time since the pandemic struck two years ago.

Its gallery of portraits of party leaders is an old tradition.

Khairul Nadzir, press secretary of Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Idris Ahmad, said the portrait of current spiritual adviser Datuk Hashim Jasin was featured as per custom.

Nik Abdul Aziz (1931-2015) was the party’s spiritual leader from 1991 till his death.

Among the portraits of previous PAS presidents exhibited were the late Burhanuddin al-Helmy, the late Mohd Asri Muda, the late Yusof Rawa and the late Datuk Fadzil Mohd Noor.