DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh described the latest controversy over a ban by Kelantan on hairdressing salons forbidding the cutting the hair of the opposite sex as an "unkind cut" for Pakatan Rakyat.

"I am surprised that Kelantan has decided to extend such rulings to non-Muslims," said Karpal, at a press conference in Penang.

NONE "Time and again, the PAS state government has publicly declared that Islamic laws are not extended to non-Muslims, just as the party has also stated that hudud is not for non-Muslims," added the Bukit Gelugor MP.

Karpal said many Malaysians are worried that the same ruling would be imposed in other Pakatan-held states and whether if hudud would include non-Muslims as well.

"The ruling, to my mind, is unconstitutional and can be challenged in court, and it should not be imposed as it is unlawful," said Karpal.

"The (local) council should not be collecting fines on the basis of unlawful laws," he added.

Resolve the matter immediately

The veteran politician called on the PAS leadership to intervene and resolve the matter immediately as the BN should not be presented with issues such as this to exploit in the coming general elections.

Karpal labelled the ruling imposed by the state government as the lowest form of law despite it being initiated by the executive councillors and those who administer the local government.

The enactment is subsequently passed by state assemblypersons at the Kelantan legislative assembly, he added.

He was responding to the controversy involving a hairdresser from E-Life hair salon in KB Mall shopping complex, who was summoned by a plainclothes municipal council enforcement officer for cutting the hair of a male customer.

Kelantan senior exco member Anuar Tan Abdullah said that the Kota Baru Municipal Council should show leniency when enforcing its ban forbidding female hairdressers from cutting a male customer's hair, if both parties are non-Muslims but stressed that the state's policy on the matter was clear.

Pakatan rivals, especially the MCA, have condemned the act as part of PAS' effort to implement Islamic restrictions on non-Muslims, and called on DAP to severe ties with its political partners.