While the MCA and the Gerakan have been continuously attacking the DAP for not able to stop the PAS Kelantan’s push for implementation of hudud laws in the state, the same pressure must be effectively and equally piled up on the UMNO for not supporting the hudud laws, as to ensure no UMNO MPs will support any private bill or motion relating to the hudud laws when it is tabled by the PAS MPs in the Parliament.
The Penang Gerakan Youth has announced that they will travel to Kota Bharu, Kelantan tomorrow for submitting the memorandum to the Kelantan Pas State Government, as their last attempt to block the passage of hudud bill through the Kelantan State Assembly. However, Penang Gerakan Youth under the leadership of H’ng Chee Wey should stage the same protest against the UMNO Kelantan State Assemblymen since they have indicated that they will give their fullest support on the hudud bills.
The main question is, whether the Penang Gerakan Youth dare to take the same altitude and approach against the UMNO State Assemblymen, as what they have done towards the DAP or the Pakatan Rakyat in the past?
If Penang Gerakan Youth dares not to do so, then it shows that the Gerakan and MCA are as good as political clowns. These fellows could be seen as they may have agreed to certain extents, for the UMNO MPs to take the same altitude towards the private motion or bill on hudud when it is going to be tabled in the Parliament. Such a precedent should not be set, as it could set a bad and dangerous precedent for the whole nation.
The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (FCAM) and its affiliate from Chinese Assembly Halls in the state level have shared their concerns, that the state governments from another 12 states may follow the Kelantan State Government to implement the hudud laws in their respective states.
Except for Penang, Selangor and Sarawak, we cannot deny that certain state governments which are controlled by the UMNO leadership may adopt the same approaches in implementing the hudud laws. To ensure the implementation of hudud laws does not exist, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other BN component parties as well as NGOs across the country must equally and effectively pile up their pressure on the UMNO, to reverse the UMNO’s pro-hudud altitudes before it is too late.
The latest statement by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the UMNO Supreme Council Member and the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry that DAP should stay out of the matter of hudud implementation as it does not involve non-Muslims may give us some hints that the UMNO may lend their support on the private motion or bill when it is tabled in the Parliament.
As such, the UMNO must be seen as the last straw on the camel’s back. Only the UMNO can determine the success or failure of the hudud laws’ implementation in Kelantan and subsequently at the national level. By continuing to attack the DAP or the PR as a whole, PAS Kelantan will not cease their hudud plan for the time being as we know, the National-level Technical Committee on the Implementation of Hudud in Kelantan formed between Federal Government and Kelantan State Government may give the false hope to the PAS.
For UMNO, by throwing their support for the hudud laws to be passed in the Kelantan State Assembly is already enough for the PR to break-up. It may not need the passage of hudud motion or bill in the Parliament level for causing the split within the Pakatan Rakyat. However, the Pas leadership may not aware of UMNO’s bigger agenda behind the latter’s promises given in supporting the hudud motion or bill, either in the state or the national level.
In fact, DAP and PKR has tried our best in playing our roles through the National Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Meeting in seeking the PAS Kelantan’s agreement not to table the hudud laws at this juncture. It is crystal clear that DAP will not support the implementation of hudud laws either in Kelantan and nationally. We are not evading our responsibilities in any way.
If the PAS Kelantan insist to continue with its hudud plan without PR leadership’s endorsement, then the UMNO’s altitude taken in Kelantan and nationally is equally important. If the MCA and the Gerakan cannot see that the UMNO is the biggest elephant in the room and continue to attack the DAP endlessly, the passage of hudud motion or bill in the Parliament will create a road of no return for everyone of us.
By quitting the Pakatan Rakyat is also not the only option for us, even in the event that the hudud laws have been passed in the Kelantan State Assembly. We must able to get all the Malaysians on board, including to get the support from MCA, Gerakan and MIC as well as other BN’s component parties, as to consolidate the people’s strength by calling the UMNO not to join the ranks of Pas and eventually passing any hudud motion or bill in the Parliament.