PAS secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa today said he did not dispute the High Court decision on Al-Ma'unah but was merely stating that PAS had no reason to apologise to Defence Minister Najib Abdul Razak for thinking the Sauk incident is a sandiwara (staged drama).

"Our (PAS) stand is very clear that is, we respect the decision of the court," he told malaysiakini.

Nasharuddin said that he was merely responding to the defence minister's statement that PAS must apologise for lying to the people by claiming that the military arms heist in Sauk is a "staged drama".

We see no reason whatsoever to apologise to Najib or anyone else, Nasharuddin said.

Today, Malay daily Utusan Malaysia reported that the Attorney-General's chambers is looking into the possibility of charging Nasharuddin for sedition and contempt of court for claiming that the Sauk incident was a hoax.

The Malay-language broadsheet reported de facto Law Minister Dr Rais Yatim as saying that legal action is necessary as the government cannot allow anyone to ridicule the court's decision.

Last weekend, national news agency Bernama reported Nasharuddin as saying that since PAS still believed the Sauk incident was a staged drama, Najib's statement asking PAS to apologise for their claims should not arise.

'Holy war'

On Dec 27 last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found 19 members of the Al-Ma'unah guilty of waging a "holy war" to topple Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The leader of the group, Mohamed Amin Mohamed Razali, along with two of his followers, Zahit Muslim and Jamaludin Darus, were sentenced to death by hanging for planning the "holy war".

The other 16 members found guilty of treason were given life sentences for their attempt to set up an Islamic state in the country.

In July 2000, wearing military fatigue, the cult members allegedly stole firearms and ammunition from two army camps in Grik, Perak and hid in a durian plantation at Bukit Jenalik in Sauk. A stand-off between them and security forces ended several days later with the Al-Ma'unah's surrender.

However, a policeman and a soldier held hostage by the group were killed in the crisis.