KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Lim Kit Siang proposal to form a bipartisan coalition comprising MPs from both sides of the political divide is nothing but a ploy to cover up his own failure to stop PAS’s hudud ambition, Datuk Seri Dr Liow Tiong Lai claimed today.

In dismissing the DAP parliamentary leader’s suggestion, the MCA president said he was confident Barisan Nasional (BN) would not break up over PAS’s push for hudud.

“What bipartisan coalition? Lim Kit Siang is trying to cover up the issue.

“He is trying to cover up his failure to stop PAS from pursuing their hudud agenda,” Liow told Malay Mail Online when met outside Parliament here.

The MCA chief stressed that it was a well-known fact that PAS had always intended on implementing hudud in Kelantan, and the fact that it managed to approve amendments to the state’s hudud enactment last week was proof of Lim and his party’s failure to keep the Islamist party in check.

“He (Lim) once told the Chinese community no hudud, and he has failed to keep his promise. Now he is creating this wayang (show) to divert public attention,” Liow claimed.

When asked when BN would release its official statement on PAS’ plans on tabling private members’ bills on hudud, Liow said “soon.”

“Soon, give some time. The statement will be out soon,” he said.

Earlier today, Lim said his call for a bipartisan coalition comprising of MPs from both political divides would be a necessary scenario if Umno MPs supported PAS’ hudud plans in Parliament.

The DAP parliamentary leader said Umno’s support for hudud would destroy both Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as well as BN, and that the only logical step forward would be to form a new coalition with MPs who will defend the supremacy of the current Federal Constitution.

He said the onus was now on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to make a stand on the matter.

Yesterday, Lim mooted the formation of a new government by a “Save Malaysia” coalition to comprise lawmakers from both sides of the political divide, having noted that both PR and BN appear to be torn in their support for hudud.

In PR, he said PAS and its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang have openly disregarded their party’s cooperation with DAP and PKR by refusing to abandon its hudud ambition.

BN appears no different, Lim observed, citing contradicting remarks from Umno politicians over their support for the Islamic law, and the clear show of opposition from the ruling party’s partners in the pact such as MCA, Gerakan and other east Malaysian parties.

PAS-ruled Kelantan passed key amendments to its Shariah Criminal Code II 1993 last Thursday in a move to enable the eventual implementation of hudud in the Malay-majority east coast state.

All 12 Umno state lawmakers voted for the amendments but the ruling party’s national leadership has yet to declare if the same support would be given to PAS’s hudud ambition at the federal level.

All BN component parties including Umno are expected to issue a joint statement to declare its position on the controversial issue.

The statement is expected to precede PAS’s attempt to table a private members’ Bill in the ongoing Parliament session that will enable Kelantan to carry out punishments under hudud. Among others, the Islamic criminal justice system prescribes amputation as punishment for crimes like stealing.

Hadi had earlier last week served notice to Parliament on the proposed Bill but BN’s law minister Datuk Nancy Shukri said it may not make it into the order paper for the current session as there are many others on the schedule.

PAS only has 21 MPs in the lower House and would need to rely on Muslim MPs from other parties in order to get a simple majority of 112 votes to get the Bill passed.

Tonight, DAP’s national central executive committee (CEC) will hold a meeting to discuss its position in PR following PAS’s hudud manoeuvre in Kelantan.