PAS Ulama chief Harun Taib slammed MCA chief Chua Soi Lek for claiming that hudud will cost the country millions in job losses.

Instead, said Harun sarcastically, hudud law would result in more jobs rather than less.

NONE “With hudud, if we need to chop off hands, training is needed. There will be more positions open. We need to train investigators,” he said jokingly.

“For those who drink alcohol, they would be caned and that needs training too. You can’t just hit them simply.

“So many more positions (will be available),” said the Ulama chief when officiating the wing ’s muktamar in Kota Bharu today.

Harun ( right ) was referring to Chua’s video statement last month where he cited some anonymous SMS claiming that 1.2 million jobs would be lost should hudud be implemented.

According to Chua’s estimates, these jobs would include those from massage parlours and gambling.   

'It's for the best '

Commenting on Chua's claim that tourism would be affected if liquor factories are forced to close due to implementation of the Islamic law in the country, Harun said that would be "for the best".

"Westerners do not come here because they want to drink. There's more (liquor) where they come from than we have here," he said.

"We can have other factories instead. We can produce rambutan juice, mango juice and much more. This can be exported, and foreigners need not come here (to get it)."

Harun said countering such "ignorance" as spread by Chua was a challenge in light of the many "malicious clerics" and "filthy clerics", referring to government appointed religious officials.

NONE "(These are) ulama who are installed by the government. Government mufti, government ustaz...many of them, though not all.

"These people are armed with all kinds of information, different ways to challenge PAS ulama's arguments.

"We do something good, and they say it is bad... this is what the government is doing because they look through dark glasses," he said.

When asked about the issue of Lembah Pantai Nurul Izzah Anwar's ( left ) recent statements about religious freedom, Harun said it was a "small matter".

"I have no time to discuss small things, let us only discuss major issues," he said, citing preparations to "steamroll" BN in the coming general election.

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