LABIS, Jan 21 (Bernama) — Former Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin does not have the right to say that voting the Umno candidate in the by-election for the Tenang state constituency is ‘haram’ or prohibited for Muslims, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the people had the right to decide on which party they wanted to vote for in the Tenang by-election.

“He (Mohd Nizar) had issued many ‘fatwa’ or edicts. Previously he said it was prohibited for women to contest, but now he has turned around. (He) does not know the fatwa or which religious principles to adopt. It is the right of the people to make a decision.

“It is not the right of Nizar to say it is prohibited. Who is he to pass judgment?” Muhyiddin told reporters after attending the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the new block for the Sekolah Agama Labis, here Friday.

Mohd Nizar, in his ceramah at Kampung Ayer Panas, Labis recently, had said that voting for the Umno candidate was prohibited by the religion and it was instead a must to support the PAS candidate, Normala Sudirman.

Nomination day for the Tenang by-election is on Saturday.

On the novel ‘Interlok’, Muhyiddin said he would explain to the cabinet soon on the outcome of the discussion between the committee under his ministry and the MIC.

— BERNAMA