IS PAS CHINESE? : 'Non-Muslims not making noise about hudud, only DAP’ - Mohd Amar

Deputy Kelantan Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said he does not believe non-Muslims in the country are against hudud, but rather it is the DAP which has been making noise.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Amar yesterday said the ones making noise were politicians as opposed to the common people in the country.

“Those making noise are not the non-Muslims, it is DAP. If you conduct a survey in Kelantan, the non-Muslims have no problems with hudud (being implemented).

“The ones making noise are the politicians because they have political intentions. Just take a look on Facebook, on the number of non-Muslims who support hudud,” he claimed.

The DAP has not kept its opposition against Kelantan PAS’ plans to implement hudud in the state a secret.

But a recent survey conducted by Malaysiakini found the non-Muslims respondents interviewed in the state generally agreeing on the Islamic criminal law being implemented.

Amar's claim however flies in the face of the youth wing of the coalition of Chinese associations nationwide, Huazong, that has expressed disappointment with Kelantan PAS’ decision.

The coalition said this is because several questions in relation to the implementation of hudud in the state have yet to be resolved.

Chinese associations say no

Acknowledging PAS' claim that amendments had stated that hudud would not be applicable for non-Muslims, the coalition pointed out how crimes are committed by all races and followers of all religions.

“To mete out different punishments for the same offences is against the principles of justice,” said the coalition’s chairperson Ong Chong Keng in a statement yesterday.

Meanwhile, Amar also refuted claims that the Islamist party did not discuss the issue of hudud with its coalition partners.

“I have met top Pakatan Rakyat leaders at least four times on the matter. And in all our meetings, they cannot defend their arguments and they say that our hudud plans are not part of the (Pakatan) common policy framework.

“Hudud, indeed, is not part of the common policy framework as it came about in 1993. Back then there was no Pakatan. You cannot expect us to forgo what we fight for when Pakatan came into the picture,” he said.

The deputy menteri besar further explained that the coalition had agreed to disagree on the matter and that Pakatan would not prevent PAS from continuing with its political agenda.

“So this is not a new thing, it’s an amendment to an enactment which had came into existence in 1993.”

‘Discussing only pointless’

Commenting further on the DAP’s claims that PAS did not discuss things with regard to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang being chosen to table the private member’s bill on hudud, Amar said discussing things would only be pointless.

“If we discuss it, will Pakatan agree? Let me tell you this, during our last meeting, Takiyuddin Hassan (who heads the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code permanent secretariat) asked DAP’s Gobind Singh Deo whether following DAP’s suggestions would lead to the party supporting hudud.

“Gobind said they would not support (the implementation of hudud), so what is the point? What is the point for us to discuss because in the end they still would not support,” said Amar.

Abdul Hadi Awang in a letter dated March 18 notified Parliament that he will be tabling the private member’s bill this session.

Meanwhile, further lamenting the DAP’s attitude in the matter, Amar pointed out how PAS had compromised on many instances.

“For example, on the issue of local council elections. Even though we do not support it, we do not attack them over it.

“Can't the DAP take the same approach as us? They don’t agree with hudud, that’s fine.

“But don’t attack, threaten and pressure us. If we wanted to fight with DAP on the local council elections issue, we could have, but we did not because we did not want to destroy Pakatan,” he said.

'DAP must convince voters'

Gobind

Urging the DAP to be “brave” by facing its voters, Amar said the DAP should tell its voters that hudud was the right of Muslims.

“They must tell their voters that hudud is only applicable to Muslims and that they do not have to worry about it and let PAS handle matters with the Muslims.

“We only hope for that, but even that they cannot do. So what can we say? In the end it is up to both the DAP and PKR to make their decisions,” he said.

Unfortunately for Amar, however, both DAP and PKR have said that they will not support the private member’s bill on hudud if it was tabled in Parliament.

The Kelantan state legislative assembly on Thursday unanimously passed the bill to amend the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code II Enactment 1993 to implement hudud law.

Further amendments to federal laws are needed to allow for the implementation of the Islamic criminal law in the state. - M'kini