Amidst the tugging from different sides within Pakatan Rakyat regarding Hudud law, DAP’s legal bureau says that PAS was never committed to the coalitions common policy framework.
Responding to PAS expressing disappointment of not winning Putrajaya despite shifting its focus from Islamic state to welfare state, DAP’s national legal bureau secretary Gobind Singh Deo criticized PAS’s failure to commit as part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
Gobind was referring to reports stating that Kelantan Deputy Chief Minister Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said that PAS party focus change did not lead to a Pakatan Rakyat victory in GE 13.
Amar had spoken to Malaysiakini on Hudud implementation in the state of Kelantan and the importance of the bill compared to its position in Pakatan Rakyat.
“The question is not of whether we will get to Putrajaya. Some tell us that if we fight for hudud, we will not get to Putrajaya.
“But look at 2013, we changed from Islamic state to welfare state, and we allowed the non-Muslims to use the ‘kalimah’ Allah and still, we did not win (Putrajaya).
“When it comes to implementing Islam, Putrajaya will come second. If they (Pakatan) do that (kick PAS out of Pakatan), we will accept it,” said Amar
The PAS man was also reported to have said that Hudud is more important than Putrajaya and that they are 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,” said Gobind.
“It appears that all this while, PAS weighed in on Pakatan Rakyat to win support so as to win Putrajaya so that they could set up an islamic state and implement hudud even with UMNO if DAP and PKR disagreed to do so if Pakatan Rakyat won federal power,” he added.
PAS plans to table a bill in the Kelantan state legislative assembly to implement Hudud this December 29. However, DAP insists that PAS not go through with its intentions as it was not part of the joint policy framework agreed upon by DAP, PKR and PAS.
“It is very clear that the bill does not have the backing nor support of Pakatan Rakyat,” he added.
Gobind also said that then move to go ahead with the Hudud bill indicates that the PAS is forcing a split in PR despite not reaching a consensus with DAP and PKR on the matter.
He also reminded PAS that the coalition was duty bound to defend the common policy framework, outlined in Pakatan Rakyat’s Buku Jingga.
“This is the agreement which formed the basis of our campaign and the strength upon which Pakatan Rakyat garnered support from the people and its victories in 2008 and 2013.”
“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,” said Gobind.
Were PAS to push through with tabling Hudud at that Kelantan State assembly, Gobind believes Pakatan would have to suspend all working relations with PAS.
“We must inspire confidence and demonstrate our commitment to the common policy framework in Pakatan Rakyat. We must be firm and show that it is something which cannot and must not to be taken lightly,” he said.
With less than a week left to the tabling of Hudud in Kelantan, while PAS shows no signs of letting up, the future does look bleak for the coalition that defied history and won the popular vote in GE 13 – which was achieved on the heels of professing a common inclusive agenda for all Malaysians. -the Rocket
