DAP never told PAS to ‘throw away’ Islam in its party struggle, says sec-gen 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — DAP never asked PAS to “throw away” Islam throughout their cooperation during the days of Barisan Alternatif (1999 to 2002) or Pakatan Rakyat (2008 to 2015).

The party’s secretary-general Anthony Loke has dismissed the accusation made by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang in a ceramah held in Johor yesterday.

“DAP has been consistent in our stance throughout the political collaboration with PAS that we focus on mutually agreed issues but took an ‘agree to disagree’ approach on issues where consensus can’t be reached.

“The main issue that DAP cannot agree on is the implementation of the hudud law. Indeed, DAP is consistent in this matter because it is not based on the legal system enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

“I would like to remind PAS that apart from DAP, the most vocal person who disagrees with the implementation of hudud law is Tun Dr Mahathir (former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) when he was the fourth prime minister. If they have forgotten Tun's stance because they are friends now, then I can refer them to media reports as follows,” Loke said in a statement posted on Facebook today.

Loke cited a report published by Astro Awani on April 26, 2014, whereby Dr Mahathir expressed his determination to not agree with the implementation of the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II. Hudud is part of the Islamic Shariah.

“My stand has never changed from before. Hudud is part of the Islamic Shariah and it is good but can Muslims execute the Hudud law according to the religious need?” Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying, adding that he did not have faith in those who wished to implement the Hudud law.

Loke further questioned Hadi’s intentions, by asking why the latter had constantly label DAP as the enemy of Islam, when there were other non-Muslim parties such as MCA, MIC and Gerakan that took the same stance.

“The stance of not agreeing with the implementation of hudud does not mean that it is fighting against Islam... Why only DAP is constantly labelled by PAS as the enemy of Islam? Isn’t that a blatant lie PAS is making up to make DAP a punching bag in its political charter?” Loke said.

Yesterday, Hadi addressed a ceramah held in conjunction with the Simpang Jeram by-election.

He reportedly accused DAP of asking his party to “throw away” Islam in the party’s struggles.

According to Hadi, DAP purportedly did so as it could not agree with a country governed by Islamic laws.