Karpal seeks closure to hudud issue

The hudud issue has been a never ending debate and Pakatan’s official stand will clear the air once and for all.

GEORGE TOWN: The Pakatan Rakyat coalition should make a public stand on hudud and put to rest the never ending debate on the issue.
DAP chairman Karpal Singh said the right person to make this announcement would be the coalition’s de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The two-term Bukit Gelugor MP is confident that Pakatan’s official position would be against PAS Islamic agenda as DAP and PKR were not supportive of the Islamic agenda or implementation of hudud law.

“It’s time for Pakatan to hold a meeting and clear the air on the issue once and for all. It’s time for Pakatan to announce its official stand on the issue,” he told newsmen during his routine constituency visit here today.

When asked on whether Anwar should make the official statement, Karpal said “he would be the right person since he is Pakatan de facto leader.”

PAS has been pushing for the implementation of the hudud law and this has not gone down well with its coalition partners-DAP and PKR.

Yesterday PAS Ulama Council chief Harun Taib said they would implement hudud if they are the biggest partner if Pakatan comes into power.

Last week PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said Pakatan, if it comes to  power, would amend the federal constitution to change Islam status as the nation’s official religion to Addin (the way of life).

Now Harun has said PAS would even forge pacts with other parties, which support Islamic state, if current Pakatan partners, PKR and DAP, does not back it.

He said PAS would initiate constitutional amendments to enforce its Islamic agenda.

“If we have enough majority, if PAS is stronger than our allies, we will implement… even if not with the current partners we have in Pakatan… may be there will be other pacts that will lend us their support,” Harun, the Manir assemblyman, was reported as saying yesterday.

Karpal said the statements by both Hadi and Harun were “misleading and mischievous, and can severely damage Pakatan prospects to capture Putrajaya.”

He said it would also jeopardise Pakatan chances of winning all the five states – Penang. Kedah, Selangor, Perak and Kelantan – which the coalition won in 2008 general election.

Karpal rebuked Harun and Hadi for making statements that was not sanctioned or endorsed by Pakatan leadership.

“The issue was never discussed at all in Pakatan leadership meetings,” he said.

He pointed out that their statements were even against the ‘welfare state’ stand adopted last year by PAS Muktamar.

PAS Muktamar is the party highest decision making body, which goes beyond presidential power.
“The welfare state agenda adopted by the PAS Muktamar was a reflection of the party delegates and grassroots members stand.

“Harun and Hadi statements are against their own party’s aspirations,” said d Karpal.

MCA has criticised Lim Kit Siang and his son, Guan Eng, the DAP secretary-general, of being silent on PAS repeated statements on its Islamist agenda.

To this, Karpal said it was DAP’s collective stand to oppose any move to change the country from current secular state to an Islamic nation.