PAS will implement Islamic law including the hudud capital punishment when it comes to power

Sheridan Mahavera, TMI

The head of PAS’s Ulama wing Datuk Harun Taib said the party must make it clear that it will implement Islamic law including the hudud capital punishment when it comes to power.

Harun urged party’s leaders and activists to publicly state this aim.

Without mentioning names, Harun also criticised Pakatan Rakyat colleagues who had called for the Islamic party to be deregistered due to its religious platform.

He took to task those in PAS who were reluctant to be open about the party’s religious stand for fear that it would alienate its partners DAP and PKR.

Instead, Harun urged the party’s allies in Pakatan to accept Islam as a political ideology that could foster unity.

He made these calls in response to comments that PAS leaders were toning down its goal to set up an Islamic state and implement the Shariah.

“We don’t want our own members to be afraid to talk about our struggle to implement Islam because this is a multi-religious plural society.

“When the Prophet implemented Islam, he also did it in a plural society. We cannot be weak in our resolve to talk about Islam just because it is a plural society.

“We have to be confident in talking about our Islamic struggle as our struggle has been promised victory by Allah,” Harun said in his speech at the opening of the Ulama wing’s annual general assembly.

DAP chairman Karpal Singh has recently suggested that organisations which are based on religion and race should be deregistered for the sake of national unity.

Karpal has however denied that he had referred to PAS.

The Ulama wing is comprised of elders, mostly religious teachers and scholars, and is seen as influential in the party to ensure its goal of an Islamic state remains.