Selangor state executive councillor Hasan Ali will not face disciplinary action from his party, PAS, despite defying the ban on its members to join last Saturday's Himpun anti-apostasy rally.

PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that this was because Hassan, who is in charge of Islamic affairs in the state, had attended the rally in his personal capacity, Berita Harian says in a report today.

"PAS will not take any action against him (Hassan) or any other member who participated in the Himpun rally," the Malay daily quoted Tuan Ibrahim as saying.

hasan ali umno pas selangor talk quality hotel 300708 06 Hasan ( left ) is also a former Selangor PAS commissioner.

The top leadership led of PAS, by its president Abdul Hadi Awang, had declared that the party would not join the rally "out of respect" to the organisers, who wanted to keep it apolitical.

Following this, Selangor PAS commissioner Abdul Rani Osman ordered members in the state not to take part in the rally, in compliance with the decision made by the party's central leadership.

In a separate report, Sinar Harian quoted Rani as saying that said he respected Hasan's decision to attend in his personal capacity, but said he would not be able to control any backlash from party members.

"If that is his stance, there is nothing that I can do but to respect it. But the impact on the members, I cannot filter every perception from PAS members towards him," the daily quoted him as saying.

The rally last Saturday was intended to unite Muslims to "defend their faith" against proselytising and attracted some 5,000 attendees.