PETALING JAYA, may 27- Islamist party PAS will continue to pursue its Islamic state agenda, including the implementation of hudud law in Malaysia, said Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Samad (photo) today.
Khalid said the implementation of hudud law has always been the party’s ideology and it would never drop that plan.
“As far as PAS is concerned, the basis of our struggle and reference is the same and will never change,” Khalid told FMT today.
“When we talk about Islam, we will talk about hudud. And obviously we’ll never say we have given it up,” he added.
However, Khalid stressed that hudud law will only be implemented “when people want it to be implemented”.
“Our struggle is to convince society to accept its implementation. All of Islam including its legal system will be part and parcel of our objective,” he said.
“Our struggle is to open up the society, have all our views presented and convince the public that there would be no harm if Islamic law is implemented,” he added.
DAP will never accept hudud
DAP national chairman Karpal Singh (photo), who has always been outspoken against the implementation of hudud, today reiterated his party’s stand “remains the same”.
“There is no change in our stand whatsoever. These matters have already been put away and for them to bring it up again now is not quite right,” he said.
“I speak on behalf of my party and not in any circumstances will it change its stand,” he added.
The Bukit Gelugor MP also called on PAS leadership to make a formal stand on the issue to prevent unnecessary confusion in future.
“There must be some sort of formal stand… it cannot be up and down,” he said.
Not an issue for PKR
However, PKR state assemblyman Dr Xavier Jayakumar said PAS’ decision to pursue hudud law was “not an issue” for his party.
“They’ve been trying for the past 25 years or more (to implement hudud). Even in Kelantan they can’t implement, so I don’t see it as a problem,” he said.
“If PAS wants to continue to implement hudud, it’s their constitutional issue. As far as Selangor Pakatan and PKR are concerned, we will not agree to it,” he added.
Xavier suggested that instead of trying to pursue hudud, PAS should instead focus on “good governance” and “fairness and equality for all”.
“The people voted Pakatan for changes. At present, apart from focusing on their hudud agenda, they should bring about good governance and fairness and equality for all, which covers all of what they’re trying to implement.”
On Sunday, it was reported that PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar also shared Khalid’s sentiments and stated the party will not give up on its Islamic agenda.
“There is no problem here, the Chinese don’t care about our ideologies, they voted for PAS in GE13,” he was quoted as saying.
Last month, PAS deputy spiritual leader Haron Din was also reported as saying the party will still fight for hudud despite coalition partner DAP’s objection.
