A group of eight Buddhist associations have warned Pakatan Rakyat that it will lose future votes if PAS continues with its plan to table a Private Member's Bill to pave the way for hudud to be implemented in Kelantan.

In a statement, issued alongside the Malaysian Christian Youth Association and six other non-religious youth groups, they said PAS should accept that Malaysia is a multiracial country and unsuitable for hudud.

They also urge PAS' Pakatan partners DAP and PKR to pressure the Islamic party to abandon the Bill.

"If this Bill is tabled and passed by Parliament, all these political parties will be held responsible and will be abandoned by the people," they said.

They also rejected PAS' assertion that hudud will only affect Muslims, citing examples of cases involving both Muslims and non-Muslims and the tussle between the syariah and civil courts.  

They pointed out there have been cases where non-Muslims were forced to adhere to syariah laws, such as in cases of conversions, including the dispute over the body of mountaineer M Moorthy (right).

Islamic authorities had refused to allow his family to perform Hindu burial rites for the mountaineer who achieved national hero status after becoming the first Malaysian to scale Mount Everest, claiming he had converted to Islam before he died.

Similarly, they said, there are ongoing disputes over custody of children following unilateral conversions of minors by a parent.

Much public distrust of the judiciary

"These have already caused much public mistrust and doubt against the Malaysian judiciary, especially the interpretation of the 'Freedom of Religious Belief' clause in the Federal Constitution.

"The loopholes in the current legal provisions already cause endless controversies and confrontations; tabling and trying to implement hudud will lead to further broken trust in the national justice system," the groups added.

They also urged PAS to call off its plans and for all Muslim leaders to respect what the group argues is the founding principles of the nation.

"It was stated in the official report of the legislative assembly on May 1, 1958, that Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, the then prime minister, clearly said during the Federal Legislative Meeting that: 'I'd like to clearly state that this country is not an Islamic state as it is generally assumed, we only stipulate Islam as the Religion of Federation'.

"Hence, the statement disagrees with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's stand, as a Muslim leader, that all Muslims must support hudud..," they said.  

The statement was inked by:

1. Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia
2. Malaysian Buddhist Consultative Council
3. Pertubuhan Gerakan Belia Bersatu Malaysia
4. Malaysia Graduates Youth Association
5. Malaysia Christian Youth Association
6. Persatuan Belia Xiang Lian Malaysia
7. Young Malaysians Movement
8. The Youth Section of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
9. Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
10. Vajrayana Buddhist Council Malaysia
11. Theravada Buddhist Council of Malaysia
12. Fo Guang Shan Malaysia
13. Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society
14. Persatuan Penganut Agama Buddha Fo Guang Malaysia