MCA has questioned cooperation among Pakatan Rakyat partners, touching on a case in Kelantan where a coffee shop owner was fined because an employee had exposed her arm.

In a statement today, Kelantan MCA secretary Tan Ken Ten said he doubted PAS' partners could have a say in the implementation of hudud law in the state.

"There are features of hudud that have been implemented in Kelantan, but PKR and DAP have not given any explanation to non-Muslims.

NONE"Apparently, they cannot help in stopping the dominance of PAS. They choose not to respond in these types of issues, to keep their marriage of convenience valid," Tan said.

The PAS-administered Kelantan government, he added, had pledged that Islamic laws would not impact non-Muslims, but the fine against the coffee shop owner indicated otherwise.

Chinese language dailies reported widely on the incident in which the coffee shop operator in Kota Baru, Kelantan, was fined RM250 after the Kota Baru Municipal Council in a raid on Monday caught one of her Muslim workers wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt at work.

The reason given was that the female employee had flouted the dress code by-law and revealed her arm.

'Consider job scope in its entirety'

In Kelantan, local council by-laws require Muslims, including those working at business premises, to wear the hijab (head scarf) and tutup aurat (cover body parts that should not be exposed, according to Islam).

Tan linked the restriction imposed to the practice of hudud in Kelantan and said the reason given was "ridiculous" as those employed at restaurants would have to roll up their sleeves when performing duties in the kitchen.

"The enforcement officers should consider the job scope in its entirety and provide suggestions to the employers, not simply issue summons, thereby burdening the operators and the employees.

"Malaysia consists of multi-ethnic groups, and all of us live in the same society. How can two sets of legislation be implemented for multiracial Malaysians?"

He sees Pakatan's assurance that hudud will not affect non-Muslims as an "excuse to fish for votes".

"Previously, Pakatan Rakyat also declared that the implementation of hudud was not possible. How are PKR and PAS going to explain this?" asked Tan.