Terengganu Amanah chairperson Raja Bahrin Shah (above) has urged the PAS leadership to thoroughly explain the out-of-court settlement for the defamation suit against Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown.

PAS, represented by its president Abdul Hadi Awang had sued Rewcastle-Brown claims that PAS had received RM90 million from former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

In a statement today, Raja Bahrin said the PAS leadership also had to explain the recent revelation its party member Muhammad Atiullah Othman who claimed he was among 40 people who witnessed PAS central committee member Nik Abduh Nik Aziz talking about receiving RM2 million from Umno.

Atiullah, in a Facebook post yesterday, said: "On the day of the incident, I was right in front of Nik Abduh. No one was between us. Nik Abduh pointed his finger in my direction (when responding) in anger at Zaharuddin Muhammad who protested 'taking Umno money'."

A purported audio recording of Nik Abduh talking about the money has circulated on social media.

The recording had previously been submitted as evidence by Rewcastle-Brown in the lawsuit and was not contested by Hadi. He then opted for the out-of-court settlement.

"This latest revelation (by Atiullah) in the recent days will deeply frustrate members and supporters of Pas. I sympathise with them because they are loyal and dedicated to their leaders.

“They will be frustrated with their leaders who have denied receiving money from Umno and more than that had asked the members to donate to a fund amounting to RM3 million purportedly to defend the party's honour," said Raja Bahrin.

'Oppression under Umno'

PAS had sought to raise RM400,000 from the public to meet the cost of the legal suit against Sarawak Report for which they had already paid close to RM2.5 million.

Raja Bahrin urged the PAS leadership has to be fair to the donors who had wanted to seek the truth through the court process.

"Islam teaches us to seek the truth and justice. What is there to hide?" he said.

Raja Bahrin said he and some former PAS leaders had once raised the issue of the Umno-PAS relationship involving money but they criticised, removed from the leadership and labelled traitors.

"Now with this out-of-court settlement without the Sarawak Report article being retracted, in addition to Atiullah's revelation regarding the donation, who is the real traitor?" he asked.

Raja Bahrin also reminded that Terengganu PAS members had undergone oppression by Umno for years.

"After Umno reclaimed Terengganu from PAS in 2004, the former had taken back the land given to Terengganu PAS supporters. They cannot forget all that," he said.