PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim has refused to get into a confrontation with PAS' Temerloh MP Nasrudin Hassan for his relentless but subtle attacks on him by offering a general statement that religious leaders ought to behave decently.

Anwar, who was asked to respond to Nasrudin's criticism, was initially reluctant to do so and politely brushed the question aside before turning away, but he suddenly doubled back.

"For someone who presents himself as a religious figure, his comment should be based on ethics and morals, and not be sarcastic, hurt others or insult anyone," he told journalists after a dialogue session in Puchong yesterday, according to KiniTV.

Before that, Anwar said he did not want to comment on the attacks by Nasrudin (right), who is an ustaz, pointing out that the PAS central committee member did not raise his unhappiness on the Selangor menteri besar issue in previous discussions.

"I think there is no need for me to respond as I feel there are voices that are deliberately trying to create tension between parties and I should not be entertaining that," he said.

Nasrudin had in the past several days posted Facebook messages subtly attacking Anwar for wanting PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is his wife, to be the new Selangor menteri besar.

Nasrudin likened this to PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's nepotism controversy in 2009 when he was menteri besar and his son-in-law was appointed chief executive director of a state-owned company.

The PAS leader, who is a key supporter of the party leader Abdul Hadi Awang, also described religious scholars arguing over whether a woman can be a leader as "normal".

Nasrudin however said it was “unusual” for a "certain quarter" to be bend on getting his own wife to be menteri besar.

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