Between faith and party loyalty

By MT Webmaster Last updated Mar 28, 2015

The only way to resolve this is to allow this matter to be brought to Parliament. Then we will see how the 222 Members of Parliament vote. Will they vote as Muslims, or non-Muslims as the case may be, or will they vote according to party lines?

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

In reference to the passing of the Sharia amendments in the Kelantan State Assembly, Umno vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said, “We agree fully that the law should be passed as it is Allah’s law which we must support. There is no question of us opposing Allah’s laws, but its implementation must be improved.”

That is a most surprising statement coming from a Sabah leader, a state that depends more on the non-Muslim than Muslim vote to stay in power. I would say it was a very brave statement although others may call it stupid or suicidal instead.

Nevertheless, Shafie clarified that while they do not oppose God’s laws, they feel that the implementation needs to be improved. In what way it needs to be improved and what is wrong with the current implementation proposal was not explained.

Azmin Ali, the Selangor Menteri Besar, on the other hand, said that PKR is not against Hudud, which Muslims regard as Allah’s laws, but instead is against the way that PAS is pushing for Hudud.

“We are not against the law of Allah. As Muslims, we cannot defy the laws of Allah as it has been stated in the Quran. But the mechanism in which PAS has brought it about is disrespectful and against to the principles and spirits of Pakatan Rakyat…That was it,” he said.

While on the one hand Azmin declared that he and PKR are not against Hudud, which they regard as God’s laws, they are, however, against the disrespectful way PAS is pushing this issue, which goes against the principles and spirits of Pakatan Rakyat. Azmin seems upset with what he called the mechanism.

What that means is not clear because Azmin did not explain in what way it is disrespectful and in what way it goes against the principles and spirits of Pakatan Rakyat. Maybe he meant that PAS should first discuss this matter with PKR and DAP like how they discussed the Kajang Move and the removal of Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim with PAS before acting.

Or did they not?

Anyway, it appears that the Muslim leaders from both sides of the political divide are very cautious about opposing Hudud. They even declared that this is God’s law so there is no issue about not agreeing with Hudud. The only thing they oppose is the ‘mechanism’ or implementation’.

And they leave the issue of ‘mechanism’ and implementation’ vague without any explanation as to what that means. So it is left entirely up to your imagination as to what they meant.

That is called smart political double-speak. I support what he wants to do. I just oppose the way he is doing it. Figure that one out yourself.

The issue here is Muslims are Muslims first and everything else second. Hence they must talk like Muslims rather than as Malays, Malaysians, libertarians, moderates, leaders, and whatnot. They will never say that Hudud is wrong or they do not support Hudud. To do that would be suicidal. But they will point out the flaws in the way PAS wants to do it or the way PAS is pushing the issue.

PKR has already said they will not support the Bill in Parliament. Many of the other non-Muslim parties have as well. It is now time for Umno to make its official statement for their Members of Parliament to not support Hudud and that if they do they will be sacked from the party for not toeing the party line, many of them Cabinet Ministers, in fact.

Then we shall see how many Muslim Members of Parliament will vote as Muslims and how many will vote as politicians who want to keep their job.

This is going to be most interesting to see.

Raja Petra Kamarudin RPK