'Kelantan has never banned alcohol sale for non-Muslims'

The PAS-led Kelantan government has never restricted alcohol for non-Muslims, nor does it plan to, the Islamic party said.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said it was agreed upon, back in 1973 as part of the party’s cooperation with Umno at the time, that no dancing and consumption of alcohol would be permitted at state events.

This was one of eight conditions for PAS’ cooperation with BN’s predecessor, the Alliance, over four decades ago, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said in a speech when officiating the PAS Rantau Panjang annual general meeting on March 23.

PAS’ cooperation with the Alliance, and then BN, began in 1972 but ended five years later over differences with Umno pertaining to the leadership of Kelantan.

Takiyuddin said this to reporters at the Parliament lobby today, in criticising the misreporting of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s speech in Kelantan by a non-Malay daily recently.

The article in question had quoted Hadi as saying the state government was planning to ban the consumption of alcohol in the state if the current partnership between PAS and Umno developed further.

'Wrongly reported by a non-Malay paper'

“One of the conditions (in 1973) was that the government allowed PAS to submit its views that activities during state government events that contradicted Islamic principles not be permitted - for example, the serving of alcohol and dancing at official government functions.

“However, it was wrongly reported by a non-Malay paper, as though the PAS president had stated that if PAS united the Muslim community (ummah), one of the conditions would be that there will be no alcohol (in the state).

“That is inaccurate as what the PAS president meant was that there is no such (activity) in government events, as PAS was with Umno,” he said while refusing to name the daily in question.

Takiyuddin, who is also the MP for Kota Bahru, added that in fact, local authorities in Kelantan issue licences for restaurants to serve alcohol.

“It is not a wish or plan of ours (to ban alcohol sale) if we form the federal government… no.

“From the Islamic perspective, consumption of alcohol is permitted for non-Muslims. PAS, as a party based on the principles of Islam, has no wish to create a policy banning alcohol for non-Muslims,” he said. - Mkini