PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub has urged Dr Mahathir Mohamad to retract the letter issued to the Kelantan government during his premiership over its plans to implement Islamic hudud laws.

NONESalahuddin (right) was responding to Mahathir’s move to wash his hands off of the opposition to the PAS-led government’s plans. 

Mahathir had said yesterday that Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Mat should “go ask” current Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to allow hudud laws in the northern state.

Mahathir also said yesterday that Nik Aziz should go ahead and implement hudud in Kelantan, since he (Mahathir) is no longer in power to oppose the plans.

“I am no longer the prime minister. Why does he not implement it? Ask Najib, maybe he’ll allow it... Now he (Nik Aziz) is blaming me for PAS not being able to implement hudud,” Mahathir was quoted as saying.

'Ask Najib'

Recounting Mahathir’s opposition to hudud during his 22-year premiership, Salahuddin said the onus is on him to retract his letter written in the early 1990s threatening Kelantan of action by the federal government if it went ahead to implement hudud laws.

NONEOn Aug 14, 1994, Mahathir (left) was quoted as saying “we (federal government) are ready to take action if Kelantan goes ahead with carrying out hudud.”

In several newspaper reports during his time, Salahuddin said further, Mahathir was quoted as objecting to Islamic hudud laws.

Addressing these incidences, Salahuddin said Mahathir "should not stop at directing Tuan Guru (Nik Aziz) to ‘ask Najib, maybe he’ll allow it’."

"He himself should advise Najib so that the letter threatening action against Kelantan if the Syariah Criminal Code (II) is implemented be retracted,” Salahuddin added.

The letter, said Salahuddin, is still in the possession of the office of the Kelantan MB which was sent by Mahathir himself as the then-prime minister.

'Take it back'

Salahuddin also urged Mahathir to retract the various accusations he had made against hudud laws, including the claim that the cutting of hands and feet of so many Muslims punished by the Islamic laws would hobble the Malay community vis-a-vis non-Malays.

“In this month of Syawal, I humbly call for Dr Mahathir to take back the various allegations he has levelled against the hudud laws.

NONE“He has alleged that hudud laws can cause Muslims to go backwards,” said the Kubang Kerian parliamentarian.

The tit-for-tat between Mahathir and Nik Aziz (right) over hudud law began in June, when the former blamed DAP as the stumbling block for PAS' Islamic ambitions.

Mahathir had made the comments after the PAS party elections which saw a large number of so-called pro-Pakatan or progressive party leaders taking up key posts.

'Not condusive'

Nik Aziz retorted that Mahathir and not DAP chairperson Karpal Singh was the person responsible for using legal channels to block PAS' bid to implement hudud in Kelantan.

NONEFormer Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin (left), meanwhile, while backing the intention to implement hudud in principle, said the situation in Kelantan has not yet fulfilled the conditions condusive to the implementation of hudud.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said that he personally supports Kelantan's bid to implement hudud law because it will not infringe the rights of non-Muslims and that the administration of justice is guaranteed.

"For now, in general, in principle, I believe this can be implemented. Looking at the specific areas and there are clear guarantees on the administration of justice.

"It does not in any way infringe on the rights of non-Muslims," said Anwar (right), when met at the Kuala Lumpur court complex today.


Related stories:

Anwar backs hudud in Kelantan

DPM: Malaysia not yet ready for hudud