Kulasegaran raps MCA, Gerakan opportunism

DAP national vice-chairperson M Kulasegaran has urged the party's MCA and Gerakan critics over recent khalwat and gender segregation issues in Kelantan to "look into their own backward before hurling rubbish into ours." 

Kulasegaran, who is MP for Ipoh Barat, said a few incidents connected to the imposition of Islamic ordinances on non-Muslims in Ipoh in 2003 and the then mute reaction of MCA and Gerakan showed up the "hypocrisy of their present criticisms of the DAP over incidents in Kota Bharu in recent weeks."

Kulasegaran (left) recalled three incidents in 2003 in Ipoh where non-Muslim couples were issued with summons by the Ipoh City Council enforcement officers for such innocuous actions as holding hands and walking in a park, in a playground and in a public library.

"I raised the issue with Ipoh City Hall when the summoned couples came to me to complain about their situation," he said.

"The couples were said to be in violation of bylaws against indecent behaviour which were drawn up in 1995 with the compliance of MCA and Gerakan councillors who were silent when the summonses were issued in 2003.

"Some of those very same councillors went on to become state assembly representatives and members of parliament and now they are party to the hypocritical chorus against the Kota Baru Municipal Council's actions against unisex hair saloons and non-Muslim couples found together in hotels," lamented Kulasegaran.

DAP has never wavered

Kulasegaran said the DAP was consistent in its campaign against such bylaws.

"In 2003, the DAP called for the repeal of the same bylaws against which the MCA and Gerakan presently agitates. They are somewhat late but, I suppose, it's better late than never," opined the federal legislator.

"The DAP has made known its opposition to the imposition of specifically Islamic ordinances on non-Muslims in Kelantan just as it was opposed to their imposition on non-Muslims in Ipoh in 2003," he reiterated.

"The DAP has never wavered in its stance and has been principled in its opposition whereas the MCA and Gerakan have been opportunistic and are playing to the gallery when it suits them," chided Kulasegaran.