Perkasa: PAS-DAP reconnect possible if DAP says yes to shariah bill

Ibrahim Ali comments on Kit Siang's statement that DAP could still work with PAS.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malay rights group Perkasa today urged DAP to agree to PAS’ plans to strengthen shariah laws in the country, saying it would prove the party was sincere in mending ties with the Islamist party.

“It is up to PAS if they want to work with DAP again, but I feel that DAP should agree to the amendments to show they are sincere because it is the right of Muslims,” said Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali today.

PAS and DAP’s disagreement over Islamic laws led to the end of Pakatan Rakyat.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had last year tabled a private member’s bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, seeking wider powers for shariah courts to punish Muslim offenders, a move seen to clear the path for Islamic capital punishments, or hudud, to be implemented in Kelantan.

Yesterday, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang said the party could still work with PAS if Hadi was committed to saving Malaysia from “global kleptocracy”.

Ibrahim, who once contested under the PAS banner in 2008, said both parties should first work with other parties separately before forming any alliance.

“They will need to look back at what caused the split in the first place.”

PAS has chosen to stay out of Pakatan Harapan, the alliance grouping its offshoot, Amanah, with DAP and PKR. -FMT