Stop trying to implement hudud, says PKR’s Tian Chua
(Malay Mail Online) – PKR’s Tian Chua today called for a stop on attempts to implement hudud laws in the country, saying that awareness of the Islamic penal code is still low among the general public.
The PKR vice-president said social awareness on hudud remains poor and has allegedly been manipulated by the ruling Barisan Nasional for political mileage.
“Thus, I call on to UMNO and PAS to put a halt to any maneuvers on hudud. As non-Muslim, I am eager to see greater consciousness of the universal values and virtues embodied in Islam.
“Nevertheless this objective cannot be achieved if Islam or Islamic laws are played up for political purposes,” he said in a statement.
His message came after he was heavily criticised for remarks in a local paper allegedly saying that Pakatan supported hudud being implemented in Kelantan.
Yesterday, DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng labelled Chua a liar over the report, saying it was “irresponsible, wrong and unethical” for the latter to have dragged them “into adopting his stand of supporting PAS in implementing hudud laws within the borders of Kelantan and Terengganu”.
Chua, however, has since denied making the statement, blaming Sin Chew Daily — which carried the report — for misquoting him.
He repeated today that he only said that PR acknowledged the existence of hudud law in Kelantan and Terengganu but would not support any move to pass the law in other states.
He stressed that the three parties within PR hadn’t reached any agreement on imposing hudud in either Kelantan or Terengganu.
Touching on overtures between long-time rivals PAS and Umno to push for parliamentary support for hudud, Chua said both parties should demonstrate an “unambiguous stand” in upholding the Federal Constitution and reassure Malaysia’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious society that their rights would be protected.
He also urged DAP to be “more cautious and restrained” in debating hudud, insisting that “internal communication” would be a better avenue to raise their concerns.
“Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional should set aside confrontational and emotional issues and focus on more critical national concerns such as economic downturn, high cost of living, corruption etc,” he said.
DAP and PAS have a long history of butting heads over the implementation of hudud in Malaysia, with the former party insisting that Malaysia is a secular state and cannot be governed by Islamic law.
Implementing hudud implementation is part of PAS’ party constitution.
