PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang last night hit out at critics of the party's 'Negara Berkebajikan' concept, stating that it had been misrepresented by the media.

Contrary to media reports, Abdul Hadi said the concept did not refer to a welfare state in the conventional sense, but was related to political Islam.

"When we introduced the ‘Negara Berkebajikan’ concept, it is clear. Negara Kebajikan is not a welfare state; many newspapers are confused.

"Many people want to talk about political Islam, but they are not in PAS. Join us and then we can discuss it at any time," he said at the opening of the PAS Muslimat Muktamar last night.

 Repeated attacks

BN has repeatedly attacked the 'Negara Kebajikan' concept, which was first introduced by PAS in the 2008 general election, to shift focus from its earlier 'Islamic state' platform to court support from non-Muslims.

NONE Hadi had been championing this platform to reconcile the party's stand with Pakatan Rakyat but has faced dissent from some members such as former PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa ( right ), who has accused the party of straying from its Islamic struggle.

When approached by journalists later, Abdul Hadi explained that the PAS concept is also concerned with the relationship to God and not just on providing welfare.

Asked if ‘Negara Berkebajikan' should be better interpreted as ‘benevolent state', he agreed.

PAS Kuala Selangor MP and central committee member Zulkefly Ahmad said the party's concept was far from the welfare state concept as practised abroad, as in Europe.

"(The Western concept of a) welfare state has nothing to do with the God, especially in the Scandinavian countries. God is outside the window already.

"Scandinavian welfare states are based on a high distributive taxation system. The Western welfare state (entails) high income tax and corporate tax," he said.

He explained that PAS' version involved zakat, absent in the European system.

"In Islam, we have other sources of income, like zakat. Taxation is changeable. Zakat is not. (In) zakat, (Muslims) have (to pay) an obligatory 2.5 percent."

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