When we were children, the ‘Bhais’ were used to scare us into behaving. Today’s political bogey is hudud. If hudud became law, what could Najib Abdul Razak, Umno Baru or their future leaders use to create fear amongst Malaysians?

PAS and Umno Baru talk about suffering and punishment, but never about reform; reform of the nation, of misbehaving MPs, or of their parties.

Umno Baru rattles the Malays with talk about suffering. Malays are suffering because the DAP is portrayed as their enemy, and the Christians are said to be out to rob them of their souls. Look no further, Umno Baru is there to rescue them.

The Malays suffer because of their own stupidity and folly. The Malays are in control of Putrajaya and the Treasury. They dominate the civil service, the police and the armed forces. Malays are awarded the most scholarships. They ‘win’ most government contracts. Malay religious leaders force halal items, including halal trolleys, on others. The Malay cronies have it all.

What suffering? You mean the suffering of the Malays? When did Umno Baru leaders begin to worry about them? As long as the Malays vote Umno Baru, keep quiet about religious extremism, and close one eye to injustice, Umno Baru can control the Malays with a few promises of development and a few hundred ringgits of Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M).

Have you noticed anything new about PAS? Both PAS and Umno Baru have morphed into one, it would be difficult to distinguish between Umno Baru and PAS politicians, if not for the white robes and goatees.

PAS’ betrayal of their coalition partners resulted in an exodus of non-Malays, who vowed never to vote PAS again. PAS lost the trust of the Chinese and are now desperate to re-cultivate ties with them.

On June 6, PAS’ Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad had a dialogue with 50 Chinese members of Kampung Baru Jerlun, in Kuala Kangsar, and told them that they need not fear hudud.

Perak’s PAS commissioner, Razman Zakaria, said that hudud would make their streets safer and under Islamic law, a police presence would be unnecessary.

Knowing that none of the villagers want their daughters and wives to be harassed, Razman reassured them that Syariah law (hudud) would “take care of this”.

Razman did not dare tell them about the horrors a woman may face if she were to be raped. The testimony of non-Muslims or women is invalid. The victim must produce four Muslim men as witnesses. In the end, she will be charged with illicit sex and be stoned to death.

‘We have enough laws’

We have enough laws to make Malaysia a safe place. Our failure to enforce these laws is a direct result of people in power. When they, or their cronies, break the laws, they demand preferential treatment. This should stop.

Policemen have allegedly been bribed so that a person can escape scot-free. Allegations of corruption are not investigated because the accused is a senior politician, or a friend of a pengarah.

Men have died in police cells from ‘sudden death’ and no policeman has been prosecuted. Air traffic control staff have allegedly fallen asleep but no one has been punished.

Razman said, “Do you want your money stolen? Of course you don’t, that's why you put up grills and alarms. In Islam, we don’t have to do this, those who steal will face the music.”

Did anyone in the audience ask him about the several hundred billion ringgits of taxpayers’ money which was spirited away to the Cayman Islands, to foreign banks and dodgy firms like Good Star Limited?

Is Razman so obtuse? The Finance Ministry is in charge of the taxpayers’ money, and it allegedly allowed this money to be stolen.

In addition, Razman said that people who steal should face the music. Under hudud, someone who steals milk to feed his family would have his hand chopped off. What is the punishment for someone who stole several hundred billion ringgits of taxpayers’ money?

To this day, no-one has explained the punishment of corruption under hudud.

PAS goes out of its way to convince the Chinese that hudud is good for the community.

Why has PAS not asked the ordinary Malays if they want hudud?

If hudud was right for Muslims, Umno Baru would have enacted the hudud legislation many years ago.

Malays are afraid to talk about religion, for fear of being ostracised. Non-Malays do not want to talk about Islam, because Muslims will warn them about overstepping the mark. How convenient for Umno Baru leaders that we remain silent.

Hudud is the bogey that will be used to manipulate your behaviour. The old bogey of the ‘communists’ is no longer relevant, as the People’s Republic of China allegedly owns half of Malaysia.

That is why hudud will never become law, because Umno Baru needs something handy to instill fear in you.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.