PAS leader calls for truce over hudud debate

Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
Aug 24, 10
2:57pm

PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has urged Pakatan Rakyat leaders to stop squabbling over recent claims that the coalition would implement hudud laws should they come to federal power. Dzulkefly (left) warned that if the public spat goes on unabated, it would result in a second occurrence of an opposition coalition going into 'self-destruct mode', which was last seen in 2001 when DAP left the Barisan Alternatif coalition. He said that Pakatan should be guided by its common policy framework (CPF) drawn up in December. "Pakatan must understand what is necessary in coalition politics, which is about parties undertaking common objectives and policies," said Dzulkefly, who is also a Pakatan leadership secretariat member, when contacted. 'In Pakatan, we have more than enough common ground to form a broad-based policy." In 2001, DAP left Barisan Alternatif in a huff after PAS maintained its stand that it would create a theocratic state based on strict Islamic law and hudud, which prescribed harsh penalties such as amputation for theft and stoning to death for adultery. Dzulkefly said Pakatan leaders must learn from history and avoid another fall-out between opposition parties. He said Pakatan allies PAS, DAP and PKR need to focus on the CPF and their goals for the next general election, as well as respect each other's respective ideologies. However, the Pakatan platform should not be used to promote party positions that are not part of the CPF. DAP and PAS to quarrel till doomsday? Dzulkefly urged his party comrades to accept that the party was an "Islamic democratic party" that works within a democratic legislative framework. "PAS must understand that whatever we do, we must do it with the mandate of the people. We can't force people to accept Islam. This will trigger anxiety and fear among the non-Muslims and sometimes the Muslims." He stressed that hudud and the establishment of an Islamic state are not part of the CPF and should PAS have won all the seats they contested at the Parliamentary level in 2008, it would still not be able to implement them without support from their Pakatan partners. "For the 13th general election, this agenda is not immediately relevant because we are not fighting elections by ourselves. As long as BN always exploits this dichotomy, it becomes the Achilles heel of PR. "As long as hudud and an Islamic state are anathema to DAP while PAS opposes a secular state, and they quarrel over it forever until doomsday, BN and Umno will govern this country and we can forget about taking over the federal government." DAP chairperson Karpal Singh (right) and adviser Lim Kit Siang have again been locked in a war of words with PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat after the latter suggested that hudud laws would be implemented should Pakatan take federal power. Nik Aziz said that strict Islamic laws were necessary to curb social ills, but Karpal and Lim are adamant that Malaysia's laws clearly dictate that the country is governed by secular laws and