Zahid: Reject those who exploit religion for personal gain

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on all quarters to not misuse Islamic preaching and teachings as a means to gain political support.

Without naming any individuals or groups, he said that these individuals often present conflicting interpretations of the same Quranic verses, hadiths, and translations.

"I only respect religious scholars, not political ulama (clerics).

"If you want to engage in politics, do it properly. If you want to preach, then do so accordingly. But do not distort, mislead, or issue religious directives based on personal whims.

"I fear that those who exploit religion for personal gain will be among the first to enter hell.

"I do not care who they are or which party they belong to. If there are groups or figures like that, we should reject them," he said on Podcast Utama Buletin Utama.

Separately, Zahid also said Umno is not ready to cooperate with Pas in efforts to minimise divisions among the Malay community caused by political differences.

He hinted that the party is unwilling to be "bitten by the same snake twice", even as Pas appears to be seeking reconciliation with Umno.