Norman Fernandez
Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily
On the question whether the Pakatan Rakyat Supreme Council did reach an agreement on the implementation of the hudud law in Kelantan, it appears that all the three parties of the opposition pact have their own interpretations.
Like what Norman Fernandez, who has hit out at the DAP central committee of late, has said, the party leadership is like a three-headed monster in Greek mythology: one head wants to sleep, the other wants to eat while the third wants to bite people.
Who is this Norman Fernandez that he has hit out at DAP more intensely than at MCA and Umno?
This gentleman used to be the party’s Johor deputy chairman and an unelected candidate in the general elections. This guy is relatively well known in his state, but not beyond.
I hope you remember that during the 13th general elections last year, this man openly urged the voters not to vote for PAS candidates because the party had the ill intention of enforcing the hudud law and Islamic penal code, causing quite a big stir back then.
The storm was subsequently tamed by a joint declaration by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PAS president Hadi Awang outlining the common policy and declaration of Pakatan Rakyat based on the fair principles of PAS’ welfare state aspiration and DAP’s adherence to the Federal Constitution. This was followed by Norman’s retraction of his statement.
I still can remember before Norman withdrew his statement, he came under tremendous pressure from his party as well as disapproval from his own party comrades who felt he was acting against the party’s interest with the general elections just around the corner. He was also thrashed by many Pakatan supporters as traitors.
Norman admitted he had indeed been warned by the party’s leadership because of the incident. Lim Kit Siang said as a leader, he should not have voiced out his personal views. Anthony Loke, who recently said PAS should leave Pakatan if it was adamant on implementing hudud, threatened to take action against him after the elections.
