Pakatan plays down DAP leader's threat

If PAS insists on implementing hudud laws, DAP will leave Pakatan Rakyat - this was the threat issued by DAP chairperson Karpal Singh on Wednesday.

Coming at a time when a by-election is being fiercely contested and where Pakatan has a stake in, Karpal’s statement can be viewed as ‘negative’ to the coalition of opposition parties.

This is why top Pakatan leaders avoided a direct address of Karpal’s threat when questioned on the matter in Kuala Terengganu yesterday.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang reiterated his position that hudud applies only to Muslims and does not concern the Chinese-based DAP.

“We want Umno to answer, not Karpal. Is Umno prepared? Umno has a religious bureau (so they) should answer,” said Abdul Hadi.

PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim explained that PAS does not have any intention to introduce legislations that will infringe on the rights of non-Muslims and he respected Karpal’s views.

“I have discussed the matter with him (Karpal). I told him that he has every right to express himself but I said the issue has to be discussed at the correct forum.

“Unlike the Barisan Nasional tradition, we allow issues to be raised,” said Anwar, who together with Abdul Hadi held a joint press conference after receiving a memorandum from the Movement Against the Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English (GMP).

Kit Siang: We are consistent

Meanwhile, at a separate press conference, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang also skirted a question about Karpal’s statement.

“This by-election is not about hudud or an Islamic state. It is about whether we can improve the results of the March 8 tsunami and bring change to the country,” he said.

Lim said that the party had always been consistent in its secular goals and chastised MCA for openly supporting former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement in 2001 that Malaysia was already an Islamic state.

The ongoing Kuala Terengganu by-election is the first time in recent years that the DAP has fully endorsed and supported a PAS candidate in a by-election.

DAP ceremah has managed to attract large crowds from the Chinese community.

VIDEO | 5 mins