Public caning: Zaid says PAS, Umno leaders are hypocrites

Former minister says reaction of PAS and Umno leaders to recent amendment to shariah enactment is nauseating.

PETALING JAYA: Zaid Ibrahim has branded Umno and PAS leaders as “desperate hypocrites” who are willing to sacrifice the welfare of the Malays for more votes, following the deputy prime minister’s reaction to public caning for shariah offences in Kelantan.

“All I can say is that PAS and Umno leaders don’t give a damn about the welfare of Muslims, so long as their politics survive,” the DAP politician said in a series of tweets.

The former minister was responding to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s statement today that the Kelantan government had the right to table the enactment amendment bill that allows for criminals in the state to be caned in public.

Zahid, who is also the acting Umno deputy president, said the amended enactment only had implications for Muslims in Kelantan and did not involve non-Muslims there.

“I have not received details on the tabling of the bill and of the amendments but I feel what they’ve done should be seen in the context of this law being only for Muslims in Kelantan,” he was quoted by Bernama as saying.

But Zaid said that everyone, including those in PAS and Umno, knew the move was politically motivated by individuals who wanted to show that they are better Muslim leaders.

He claimed these leaders had nothing better to offer those who were suffering and were only interested in talking about punishing Muslims.

“So, for that reason, I think this whole reaction from both Umno and PAS leaders is almost nauseating and I don’t have words to describe it,” the former Kota Bharu MP said when contacted.

Zaid said these Muslim leaders were capitalising on Muslims’ fear of violating God’s law, which he added was defined by these parties.

He pointed out that there were many Muslim countries that did not implement flogging.

Unfortunately, Malaysia’s leaders were irresponsible and this gave the country a bad name, he said.

“We are moving backwards instead of trying to find a way forward.

“We are trying to get our leaders to try to make the country better; instead they go medieval.” -FMT