KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — PAS’s renewed push for hudud in Kelantan will lead to another breakup of its cooperation with DAP, Umno-linked daily Utusan Malaysia said today.
Writing under the Awang Selamat pseudonym, the Malay-language newspaper’s editors said the recent DAP national convention, in which the secular party resolved to reject the implementation of the Islamic penal code in Malaysia, showed that the DAP and PAS’ alliance in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was never founded on similar principles or mutual respect.
“Therefore, there are cracks in the relationship between PAS and the DAP that is heading for a break up,” said Utusan.
The broadsheet noted that Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah had told the DAP to respect the PAS state government’s bid to implement hudud or to leave PR, while PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali had insisted that the Islamist party will stick to implementing the Islamic criminal law regardless of the DAP’s objections.
“The statements of a few PAS leaders in response to DAP’s stand clearly show that their alliance is heading to an end, something that many parties see as the result of a partnership between two parties that try to work together though they have contradictory visions,” said the newspaper.
“What Awang can conclude is that the DAP is merely trying to manipulate PAS into fulfilling their dream of winning elections and defeating Barisan Nasional (BN). But, is PAS ready to sacrifice their vision solely to share the DAP’s ambition of winning elections?” Utusan asked.
DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said yesterday that the Kelantan state government’s renewed attempt to implement hudud will only work against PAS and and its partners in PR, claiming that previous general elections have shown voters’ rejection of the strict Islamic penal code.
Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob announced Sunday that the state legislative assembly will hold a special sitting on December 29 to table and pass amendments to the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code II, otherwise referring to hudud law.
He told a news conference that the move was necessary to enable their move to table in Parliament a private member’s bill on the implementation of hudud.
In Islamic jurisprudence, hudud covers crimes such as theft, robbery, adultery, rape and sodomy. Punishments for the crimes are severe, including amputation, flogging and death by stoning.
Opponents argue that hudud cannot be carried out in Malaysia as Islamic law is applicable only on Muslims and if enforced, would run counter to other fundamental provisions in the constitution, namely Article 8, which prescribes equality before the law for all, regardless of their religious beliefs.
The DAP had pulled out from Barisan Alternatif, a coalition between PAS, DAP, PKR and the now-defunct Malaysian People’s Party that was formed to take on BN in the 1999 general election, in 2001, citing irreconcilable differences with PAS on its insistence in creating an Islamic state.
