Hudud feud heats up between Karpal and PAS leaders
(The Star) – The feud between DAP stalwart Karpal Singh and PAS leaders over the implementation of hudud laws has heightened.
The DAP chairman insisted that he had every right to object to the implementation of hudud despite PAS’ warning for him not to meddle in its internal affairs.
Karpal said PAS, being only a component party in Pakatan Rakyat, should not commit the group to a policy that would have detrimental effects on its aim to attain power.
“I hope PAS leaders will carefully re-evaluate the party’s stand on the implementation of hudud in the country. They should do so in the interest of Pakatan.
“The warning to me by PAS not to interfere in its internal affairs is clearly misplaced and unwarranted,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
The issue of hudud, added Karpal, could only jeopardise Pakatan’s chances of gaining federal power as well as retaining the five states it won in the last general election.
Hudud, he said, was not even included in Pakatan’s common policy framework enshrined in the Buku Jingga.
On Tuesday, PAS ulama vice-chairman Dr Mahfodz Mohamed had advised Karpal not to be a stumbling block when it came to the implementation of hudud law in the country.
Karpal also implied that it was pointless to pursue the hudud agenda as even the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment was void.
Reminding PAS leaders that the Federal Constitution was the supreme law of the land, the DAP stalwart said there was no place for hudud in secular Malaysia.
Karpal also described it a matter of “grave disturbance” that PAS’ upper echelon leaders were still pushing for the implementation of hudud.
PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat had said the implementation of hudud should not be delayed because it was a religious obligation.
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, ulama chief Datuk Harun Taib and several other leaders had also said they would not forgo the hudud agenda.
Only the Anwarinas in PAS, including Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, had called for an end to free airing of views on hudud as it would jeopardise their performance in the elections.
