Despite rising disagreements between Pakatan Rakyat parties, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (pic) refuses to speculate about the coalition’s future.
“I do not know about the future (of Pakatan),” he told reporters outside Parliament on Monday when questioned about the growing strain within the coalition over the possible implementation of hudud in PAS-led Kelantan.
Abdul Hadi also brushed aside DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang’s suggestion of an alternative “Save Malaysia” coalition to champion the Federal Constitution, in response to PAS’ hudud agenda.
“Malaysia is a democratic nation. It is up to him (Lim). He has his rights. We have ours,” Abdul Hadi said.
“It is up to him,” he repeated when queried on Lim’s accusation that DAP could no longer trust him.
However, Abdul Hadi stood firm that no external parties could affect the party’s decision in the PAS muktamar, which will be coming up in three months.
“Those who determine (the muktamar outcome) are PAS members. Nobody can influence PAS members, Insyallah,” he said.
It is being speculated that DAP is pressuring PAS members to vote against Abdul Hadi in the upcoming PAS muktamar. This was seen in the unusual move by DAP on March 23 of severing the party’s affiliation with Abdul Hadi but at the same time, maintaining DAP-PAS relations.
Despite his absence in previous Pakatan leadership council meetings, Abdul Hadi assured reporters that he was prepared to explain his moves in a meeting.
“With all of them, I am ready (to meet). With the Government, with those not from the Government. I am open to it,” he said.
“I did not ask anyone to defend me,” Hadi told reporters in response to the lack of support from PKR for PAS’ hudud.
He hoped that the implementation of hudud in Kelantan would encourage other states to adopt a similar move and also encourage non-Muslims to embrace the criminal rulings.
On March 19, the Kelantan state assembly unanimously passed amendments to the Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II 1993, ignoring objections from DAP and PKR.
PAS aims to table Private Member’s Bills at May’s parliamentary sitting in order to allow Kelantan to enforce hudud.-thestaronline
