Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa has issued a letter demanding that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang retracts his statement titled 'Ijazahnya ada, akalnya kerdil' (He has a degree, but little brain).

Mujahid said the statement that was also published by Harakah Daily, despite being written indirectly, had referred to him.

"Based on the statement that was being played up and had gone viral as though I had said that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not go to university, and had no degree although I did not say so.

"But what I had not said had been turned into an article titled, ‘He has a degree but has a small brain’ and clearly this was indirectly referring to a minister, certainly it's me,” he said at a media conference after opening the annual general meeting of the Malaysian Pensioners Association for the Kerian district in Parit Buntar today.

According to Mujahid, who is also the Member of Parliament for Parit Buntar, the publication of the article had affected his image besides spreading fake news.

However, Mujahid was uncertain whether the letter had been sent by his officer.

"I have issued a letter for a withdrawal (of the statement) and for an apology to be tendered because it is impossible for someone to have written the article yet deny it,” he said, adding the follow-up action would depend on what Hadi would do.

- Bernama