KUALA LUMPUR: Instead of severing ties with Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang for supporting the implementation of hudud in Kelantan, DAP should instead leave Pakatan Rakyat.
MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong and Pas central committee member Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz made separate calls on this following DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's statement on Hadi.
MCA questioned the move by DAP to sever ties with Hadi as “weird, strange, and odd”.
Wee said DAP’s decision to cut ties with the Islamic party chief is merely a play to trivialise the hudud issue.
“To me, it is a sandiwara (play). If you want to cut ties (with Pas), cut ties with the entire party, and not just its president,” Wee told reporters at Parliament lobby here.
Lim's statement on Hadi was made today, following the decision made by the party after its four-hour Central Executive Committee meeting last night. The meeting had discussed Pas' move in passing amendments to its hudud law in Kelantan.
Lim had said that the DAP have lost all trust and faith in Hadi as a Pakatan leader and "are therefore ceasing all cooperation with Hadi.
"DAP can no longer work with a Pas president like Hadi who is dishonest and has no integrity," Lim said.
Lim said Hadi's betrayal became apparent after he failed to consult the Pakatan leadership over plans to table a private member's bill on hudud in Parliament.
Lim said Hadi had also gone against the spirit of Pakatan in the past, when he objected to the nomination of PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the Selangor menteri besar.
Lim said DAP will hold a meeting with PKR to discuss the future of Pakatan.
"The decision to cut ties with Hadi will place Pakatan's presidential council in limbo. We need to discuss this with PKR," Lim said.
Wee said “the implementation of hudud has always been Pas’ stand, and not just Hadi’s. You cannot trivialise the matter by only cutting ties with one man,” he said.
Wee said it is illogical for DAP to sever ties with only Hadi, as Pas had always included the implementation of hudud as part of its political agenda.
“I do not know what to make of this," he added.
Nik Mohamad Abduh said Lim had put it delicately when he just single out Hadi.
“This is not a personal matter, but it is a party policy matter,” he said when met at the Parliament lobby today.
Meanwhile, Nik Abduh said Pas had already made a statement that it will not leave Pakatan because the party loves Malaysia and unity.
“Pas would like to have a new Malaysia, with new politics that is more democratic,” he said.
He also said that DAP is lying to the public and is using hudud for public to reject PAS.
“This is not a right way. Hudud is not cruel,” he said.
Pas vice president Salahuddin Ayub expressed his distress over the issue, saying that it is difficult for him to accept DAP's move to isolate Hadi but remain with Pakatan.
"He (Hadi) is not just my president but the top leader for more than one million Pas members. It is hard for me to accept DAP's decision to sever ties with him but still want to remain in the pact.
"To distance yourself from the president is not the best approach to resolve this issue. But I am confident that the Pakatan leadership will meet to discuss and find a solution, said, Salahuddin, when contacted.
Pas’ Bachok member of parliament Ahmad Marzuk Shaary said non-Muslims, including those in DAP, should not interfere in the affairs of Muslims.
He also said Pas leaders would continue support Hadi as the party president despite DAP’s decision to cease all cooperation with him.
Pas information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar has labelled the move by DAP to cut ties with Hadi as “unfair.”
Speaking to reporters at Parliament lobby here, Mahfuz questioned whether the Pakatan leadership council could function properly if DAP ceased its cooperation with Hadi.
“What will happen to the Pakatan presidential council if DAP does not work with Hadi? The move by DAP is unfair (tidak wajar).
“The council itself is made up of the top leaders from all three member parties, and this includes the Pas president,” he said.
Mahfuz said DAP’s decision is against the Pakatan joint principle to include all the top leaders from PKR, DAP, and Pas into the presidential council.
“I do not think what DAP decided today is reasonable. If the DAP does not agree with Pas leaders on certain things, they should have a big heart and (discuss).
“I am sure the DAP leadership is made up of senior politicians who behave like proper statesmen and keep their lines of communication open to everyone despite our differences,” he said.
Mahfuz also expressed his disappointment with DAP for listing down the Selangor menteri besar crisis as one the reasons why it decided to sever ties with Hadi.
“They should not harp of the Selangor menteri besar issue because the matter is already resolved. (Selangor MB) Mohamed Azmin Ali may feel hurt because of this. Why bring up an old topic when Azmin is already appointed as MB?” he asked.
Mahfuz also said Pas secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali would set a date for a Pas central committee meeting to discuss DAP’s decision to cut ties with Hadi.
“During the meeting, we will determine our stand on DAP’s move today,” he said.
Meanwhile, Selangor Pas stands firm in support of Hadi regardless of DAP's decision yesterday to cut ties with him.
Selangor Pas commissioner Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad said Pas members were against such a treatment made against their leaders. He stressed that Hadi was still their party president and all members were duty bound to be loyal to him.
“After DAP's statement on the Pas president, I see that support for the president will grow. Pas members do not like to see their leaders being pushed around.
“Pas will be more united after this... people under attack will usually do that,” he said in a text message to the New Straits Times today.
Iskandar reiterated that Pas would maintain relations with its allies in the Selangor administration despite DAP's strongly worded statement against Hadi.
“Selangor Pas will proceed as normal at whatever level in (the state) government. The welfare of the people is more important," he said.
Meanwhile, DAP Selangor vice president Datuk Teng Chang Khim said DAP would discuss with PKR to decide the future course of Pakatan.
"Pending which (the discussion), all things are kept in abeyance," he said in a text message.
He added that the state administration would remain as per normal pending the talks between DAP and PKR.