Karpal denies calling for PAS to be deregistered
(TMI) – DAP national chairman Karpal Singh (pic) has denied ever calling for the deregistration of PAS. Instead, the veteran leader clarified in a statement today that he had thrown PAS a lifeline when he had stated that the party realised the need for multiracialism by having the non-Muslim Supporters Congress.
“I had also said at the press conference on Tuesday that this was unlike Umno, MCA and MIC which were unadulterated racist parties which required to be deregistered.”
He further stressed that he did not bring PAS into the net he had cast against race-based political parties and professional bodies when commenting on the Muslim Lawyers Association’s threat to the Malaysian Bar over the use of the word “Allah” in the Catholic weekly, the Herald.
As such, he said he would not apologise to PAS.
Karpal said certain officials from the Islamist party had also joined others in criticising him over his alleged remarks.
“It is true that I had stated that race-based political parties and professional bodies should open its doors to other races which unfortunately included PAS but I was quick to add that PAS had acknowledged the necessity of multiracialism by having a non-Muslim supporters’ wing.”
Karpal pointed out that PAS had established the non-Muslim Pas Supporters Congress prior to the 2004 general election and also agreed to field non-Muslim candidates in the 2013 general election. The DAP veteran leader also pointed out that in GE 2008, PAS fielded an Indian candidate to contest the Tiram state seat in Johor.
Adding that he was appalled at the way he was attacked by certain political vultures, academicians and commentators, Karpal said that he had called for the deregistration of the Muslim Lawyers Association for its condemnation of the Bar Council.
