MCA dares DAP on hudud - Star

KUALA TERENGGANU: Jan 4, 2009

Tereng­ganu MCA has asked DAP to clearly state whether it opposes plans by its Pakatan Rakyat partner PAS to implement hudud laws should it ever come to power.

State MCA chairman Toh Chin Yaw said the presence of DAP deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw during the announcement of the PAS candidate for the Kuala Terengganu by-election at Stadium Negeri on Thurs- day reflected the former’s compromise over the implementation of the Islamic law.

“They (DAP) are not standing by their principles. The party leaders claim to strongly oppose the implementation of these laws but the next minute, their stalwarts are appearing to be affirming their coalition partners’ plan on hudud.

“This is a sheer hypocrisy as PAS will not waver from its long-term plan to implement these laws,” he said yesterday.

Toh said PAS had continued to insist on imposing such laws in all their previous election campaigns and would continue to do so.

“DAP, which claims to be a reputable and accountable party, should rebut PAS’ agenda on hudud by boycotting the by-election instead of pretending to disagree with PAS,” he said, adding that DAP should look after the interests of the voters, particularly the Chinese.

“I am sure the Chinese electorate here would be fazed to realise that DAP has not made an ultimate stand on the issue.

“What they should have done was to absolutely shun the event on Thursday in protest,” he said.

The other leader from the Pakatan Rakyat who attended the event was PKR’s vice-president Mustafa Kamal Ayob.

Meanwhile, Kuala Terengganu MIC division chief Dr Dayal Krishnan said Indian voters in the constituency should not forget the time when the community was denied their right to hold a Deepavali night in 2003 when the state was under PAS rule.

He said the PAS-led state government disallowed the event although the planned event was clean entertainment and part of Indian culture.

“This was how narrow-minded PAS was when it ruled the state,” he said.