The PAS Dewan Ulama’s call to ban gambling and limit sales of alcohol in Pakatan Rakyat-held states is confusing and an about-turn on the Islamist party's assurances before the March 8 election, MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said.
“Why do a U-turn all of a sudden? It should inform the people about its change (of heart),” he said after launching the Tasik Perdana Family Day here yesterday.
He reminded PAS of its message – that it wanted to establish a welfare state in the run-up to the last general election.
No U-turns: Ong, during the launch of the Tasik Perdana Family Day Sunday.“Or was it merely a political gimmick to fish for votes?” he asked.
Ong pointed out that Pakatan allies DAP and PKR also assured the people then that PAS had undergone a paradigm shift, from wanting to establish a theocratic Islamic state to a welfare-centric one.
On Thursday, PAS Dewan Ulama head Datuk Mohamed Daud called for a ban on gambling joints and to limit alcohol-selling outlets in non-Muslim areas in Pakatan-run states, saying Kelantan was an example of how the ban should be carried out.
However, at the party’s 54th muktamar on Friday, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said the party would not pursue the campaign to ban gambling and alcohol as it would affect much of Kuala Lumpur.
Ong also called on younger members in the MCA to play a bigger role in their constituencies by coming out with their own initiatives and resources to win the people’s support.
“Certain people are reluctant to put in their own efforts, but at the end of the day, when any new initiatives comes, they want to jump on the bandwagon,” he said.
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