Anti-hudud leaflets in circulation

Khalid Samad smells Umno’s involvement.

KUALA LUMPUR: Unknown persons are distributing anti-hudud leaflets showing PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat dealing violently with non-Muslim Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad of PAS suspects that Umno has something to do with this.

“We don’t know who gave these out, but they’re probably from Umno,” he said as he showed two such leaflets to reporters in Parliament today.

“Even if they weren’t involved directly, maybe they advised their friends in Barisan Nasional to tarnish the name of Islam.”

The leaflets show Nik Aziz’s face superimposed on a man’s figure. One has the figure holding up the severed head of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. The other has the figure, dressed like a Japanese soldier, chopping off PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng’s hand with a samurai sword.

Both have captions in Kelantanese Malay—“This is what will happen to those who oppose hudud” and “Yeah, let’s chop off hands.”

Khalid said his informants told him the leaflets were distributed at a PAS function in Johor last week.

“The spreading of these leaflets is irresponsible, and can result in racial tension,” he said.

Bad impression

The MP for Teluk Intan, DAP’s M Manogaran, said the leaflets would give non-Muslims a bad impression of Islam.

“If a non-Muslim were to be given these leaflets, he would think that Islam is a dangerous religion,” he said.

He feared that BN or its supporters might use the leaflets in the campaign for the next general election.

Three weeks ago, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad dared Nik Aziz to implement hudud in Kelantan, where the latter is Menteri Besar.

Nik Aziz responded by challenging the federal government to allow Kelantan to institute the hudud provisions, which allow for stoning, whipping and amputation as punishment for certain crimes.

This caused an uproar within Pakatan Rakyat, with the DAP firmly opposing the PAS intention.

Nik Aziz has since continued to push for hudud, even with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim stepping in to keep things under control.