No love lost in Pas, DAP Valentine’s row

Objection an affront to human rights, says Karpal

(New Straits Times) – PAS and DAP are it again. They’ve bickered on and off over numerous major national issues from hudud  and apostasy to the choice of candidates for the general election and the ban over the sale of beer.

  Now, even a celebration like Valentine’s Day appears to have put a spoke in their “marriage of convenience”.

  DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said Pas’ objection to Valentine’s Day was an affront to human rights and freedom.

  “I regret that Pas has adopted such a stand as it is not a step in the right direction,” the member of parliament for Bukit Gelugor  said here   yesterday after visiting the Air Itam wet market.

  Pas Youth, in its latest effort to stop the widespread promotion of Valentine’s Day in the mass media, had submitted a protest memorandum to Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

  The movement’s secretary, Khairul Faizi Ahmad Kamil, had requested Rais to monitor and act against Valentine’s Day promotion campaigns on television, radios and newspapers.

  He said Pas was worried such large-scale  promotions would encourage people, especially Muslims, to be involved in vice.

  Federal Territory Pas information chief Mohamad Suhaimi Abdul Aziz  said it was sinful to promote Valentine’s Day as it could lead to moral decadence, especially among youths.

  Karpal said Malaysia was a democratic country and the people were free to celebrate any event.

  “Valentine’s Day is still three days away and I hope Pas will reverse its stand.”

  In  Kuala Lumpur,  Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim said Pas supporters should re-evaluate the struggles championed by the party and decide for themselves if it was still the same party they had supported all this while.

   She likened Pas to a ship with too many captains.

   “When you are a passenger, you must be clear about where the driver is taking you to. Similarly, in a party,  members must need to know who it is they should be following.

   “Unfortunately, in Pas, the members are confused as to whether they should be following president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Pas Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi, Parti Keadilan Rakyat or DAP.”

   Mashitah said Pas had also diverted from its original struggles, from being a pro-Islamic party to one that was pro-opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and pro-Israel, adding that Pas was  swayed easily by its partners in Pakatan Rakyat.

   “Former Selangor Pas commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Ali has  revealed that the face of Pas today is no longer the one it had yesterday. It is a confused party, unsure of where it stands.”