Scepticism towards the Pakatan Harapan agreement , which will be inked by the three opposition parties tomorrow, abounds over whether issues of dispute like the implementation of hudud have been resolved.

Gerakan national legal and human rights bureau chief Baljit Singh said the coalition, which still comprises “common faces” from DAP, PKR and PAS splinter party, Parti Amanah Negara, have to state their stand on hudud.

“The farcical and confusing soap opera by the former Pakatan Rakyat involving the same leaders remains fresh and vivid in Malaysian minds,” Baljit said in a statement.

“Many critical questions surrounding hudud are left unanswered by DAP, PKR and Amanah, which renders meaningless their latest pledge to sign an agreement,” he added.

“Will they give a joint declaration to stop PAS from tabling hudud law in Parliament? Will Amanah drop any plans to implement hudud if DAP is against it?” Baljit asked.

“The public deserves a clear and unambiguous answer to this if the agreement is to be signed."

Otherwise, Baljit ( photo ) said the new political branding Pakatan Harapan does not offer much changes as the “ghost” of Pakatan Rakyat is still very much alive.

DAP and PAS split bitterly after the latter’s president Abdul Hadi Awang tabled a private member's bill in Parliament to seek amendments to the federal constitution to implement the syariah criminal law in Kelantan.

Those in PAS who opposed Hadi, popularly known as the 18 progressive leaders, were defeated in the party’s internal polls last June, and went on to form Amanah, which was officially launched in September last year.

Although PAS is not in the coalition, and has been booted out of all government posts in Penang, the party has a working relationship with PKR in Selangor.

Meanwhile, DAP Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik has echoed similar concerns about hudud but added that another issue - local government elections - must also be addressed by the Harapan coalition.

Hadi had kicked up a fuss about local polls, saying the earlier common policy framework was silent about it.

“The two issues which 'killed' Pakatan Rakyat are hudud and local government elections”, Ng said when met in George Town today.

“These issues must be resolved or else it will continue to haunt Pakatan Harapan. We hope the two main issues will be addressed by the agreement, which will be finalised and signed tomorrow,” he added.

Hudud, local elections will be addressed

When contacted, PKR Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin said the two issues of hudud and local elections will be addressed in the coalition’s common policy framework in June.

According to Sim, these are the “new offerings” which will be revealed to the rakyat, as tomorrow will only involve the formalisation of the pact between the three parties.

Asked if the framework would address the two controversial issues, Sim said “definitely”.

He said the hudud issue was never in the Pakatan Rakyat common policy framework.

“Anyone can say anything or make proposals, just as BN can continue to play up the issue as it has an agenda to split up Pakatan, but we have assured the rakyat that it would not be implemented by the coalition as it was not in our common police framework,” Sim said.

On the contents of the agreement, he said the purpose is to form a stronger union between the three parties.

Sim said the agreement is to address the current public perception that Harapan is a “loose coalition”.

“The agreement will spell out the code of conduct to be observed by all Harapan leaders. There will be a mechanism on how to resolve differences, and every one of us are bound by the agreement.

“It is a politically binding agreement. If a leader goes against the agreement, there will be a dispute mechanism to handle the matter.

“Although some view this agreement as a mechanism to settle the dispute between the three parties, it is not. The real spirit of the agreement is to form a viable alternative for the voters as we want to offer the rakyat the best,” he added.