DAP leadership to cede office if hudud law part of Pakatan agenda
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 – DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today threatened the resignation of his party’s entire leadership if the implementation of hudud law is forced into Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) common policy framework.
His statement comes ahead of plans by the PR leadership to address the longstanding issue during a meeting this Wednesday.
According to Star Online, Lim (picture) pointed out that the tripartite PR pact comprising DAP, PAS and PKR was founded on common policies and understanding, particularly on issues like fighting corruption and upholding justice.
Hudud law, he said, was never included in PR’s common policy framework or its Buku Jingga and should therefore never be part of the pact’s agenda.
“If there is any mention that we want to implement hudud law in our common policy framework and Buku Jingga, the party’s entire central committee will resign,” Lim was quoted in Star Online as saying to reporters after officiating DAP’s Federal Territories convention here.
DAP and PAS has been at loggerheads over the Islamist’s party’s support for the controversial law which prescribes stoning, whipping and amputation as punishment for criminal offences.
PAS has refused to back down from its plan, with its spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat reportedly saying recently that DAP could leave the coalition if it refused to offer support.
Hudud is a prickly subject in multicultural Malaysia where race and religion are closely-linked. The country’s 28-million population is also still haunted by the bloody racial riots of May 13, 1969.
The issue is raised cyclically as political fodder as its divisive nature often causes conflicts to occur within otherwise-friendly circles, making it ideal to pit parties with opposing ideologies against one another.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also backed the introduction of hudud in Kelantan, saying it would not infringe upon non-Muslims’ rights, further escalating the dispute.
The PR de facto leader also rebuked Barisan Nasional (BN) for purportedly exploiting hudud, or Islamic laws, to gain political support as national polls nears.
He accused Umno of provoking greater tension among the different races and faiths by telling Muslims one thing and non-Muslims something else.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak too had yesterday pledged his administration would block any attempt to implement the Islamic penal law, in a bid to curtail further debate on the fractious subject.
Najib is the second PM to take a strong stand against hudud, after fourth prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had blocked Kelantan’s attempts to implement the Islamic laws in the state.
Najib’s Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, however, recently expressed support for hudud earlier this week, upsetting Umno’s Chinese partner MCA.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has threatened pull his party out of the ruling coalition if senior ally, Umno, goes ahead with enforcing hudud. Gerakan has expressed the same threat.
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