Freeze ties with PAS over hudud, DAP MP tells Pakatan

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — Pakatan Rakyat must halt co-operation with PAS should the Islamist party forge ahead with preparations to enforce hudud in Kelantan in the face of vehement opposition from its allies, DAP MP Gobind Singh Deo said today.

The DAP national legal bureau chief said it now appears that PAS only joined the opposition pact to take control of Putrajaya with the intention of setting up an Islamic state and implement hudud, and was willing to collaborate with rival Umno if its allies do not support its bid.

“If PAS pushes ahead and tables the bill on the 29^th (of December), I am of the view that Pakatan Rakyat would have no choice but to suspend all working relations with PAS.

“We must be firm and show that it is something which cannot and must not to be taken lightly,” he said in a statement today.

The Puchong MP reminded PAS that all component parties in the opposition coalition are duty bound to defend the common policy framework, which it agreed to along with PKR and DAP.

He added that the agreement formed the basis of PR’s campaign and the strength upon which it garnered support from the people in the past two general elections.

Gobind also cited Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah’s comments in a Malaysiakini interview today, in which the latter said hudud is more important than Putrajaya and that PAS is prepared to “even sleep with their arch-rival Umno in order to implement hudud”.

“This is by far the clearest admission by PAS that they were never serious about their role in Pakatan Rakyat, that they were never committed to its common policy framework and that they will never be,” he said.

The Kelantan PAS government will convene a special assembly sitting next Monday to table and pass amendments to the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code Enactment II.

The move is in preparation for PAS’s plan to table in Parliament a private member’s bill to amend the Federal Constitution, which would subsequently allow Kelantan to implement hudud law in the state.

This is despite vocal resistance from PAS’s allies in PR, and the stand-off has even led to predictions from politicians within that pact that the controversy could potentially cause a break-up.

Gobind stressed that it is clear that the bill does not have the support of PR and that PAS is “forcing a split in PR” by pushing ahead with the controversial bill.

“If ever Pakatan Rakyat is to remain a political force to be reckoned with, one which the people can trust and will respect, we must now demonstrate our commitment to uphold the common policy framework, even if it means suspending or cutting ties with any partner in the coalition who threatens the spirit of PR by working against it,” he warned.

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.