No room for ‘personal views’, Anwar told

Karpal Singh tells the opposition leader that the latter's personal views will be construed as the party's official stand.

GEORGE TOWN: DAP national chairman Karpal Singh took a swipe at Pakatan Rakyat supremo Anwar Ibrahim over the latter’s “personal view” on the implementation of Islamic law in the PAS-run state of Kelantan.

According to the veteran politician, leaders who held high positions did not have the luxury of expressing personal stands.

“There is no such thing as a personal view when one is in a top political position. When you are a top leader, your views would be construed and perceived as the official party stand,” he said.

On Thursday, Anwar, the de facto leader of PKR, which forms the backbone of Pakatan, said he believes that in princple, Islamic law could be implemented in Kelantan.

“Looking at specific areas, there is clear guarantee of an administration of justice and it does not in any way infringe on the rights of non-Muslims,” said the opposition leader.

Anwar then added that it was his personal opinion.

In an immediate reaction, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang stressed that his party’s stand regarding PAS’ theocratic aims had been consistent.

“It is not suitable for Malaysia and it is not part of Pakatan’s common policies,” he noted.

Lim also said that any such change required the agreement of all three Pakatan component parties – PAS, DAP and PKR.

‘Out of the blue’

Meanwhile, Karpal admitted that Pakatan was now embroiled in a controversy due to an unwarranted political statement from PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat regarding the Islamic state agenda.

He hoped that Nik Aziz’s statement did not reflect the stand of the PAS leadership and called on its president Abdul Hadi Awang to clarify the matter.

Karpal recalled that only three months ago, the PAS 57th Muktamar (general assembly) passed a resolution declaring that the party had dropped its Islamic state agenda.

“We thought the agenda was dead and buried then. The public was overjoyed with it. But now this … out of the blue. I don’t understand why Nik Aziz gave such a statement … its mind boggling.

“Perhaps the old man was trying to grab attention,” he said.

Karpal also chided Nik Aziz’s suggestion that DAP could kiss goodbye to Pakatan if it did not agree with PAS’ Islamic agenda.

“It was definitely an unprovoked statement,” he said.