While DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has finally stated that hudud law will not be implemented unless there is a consensus by all three Pakatan parties, DAP as the party with the highest number of Members of Parliament must wield its influence to prevent PAS from tabling a Private Member’s Bill to allow the implementation of hudud law in Kelantan in June when the Dewan Rakyat sessions recommences.

Apart from the late Karpal Singh, the position of other DAP leaders regarding PAS hudud law was usually vague. Karpal’s statements were dismissed by DAP leaders as simply “his personal opinion”. But immediately after the funeral of the late Karpal Singh, DAP’s direction becomes clear and Guan Eng issues a press statement that “DAP does not support the implementation of hudud”.

Guan Eng should not only talk but ensure that DAP implements the deceased’s unflinching principle and spirit to oppose PAS hudud law until the very end.

With the most federal legislators, DAP should use its internal channels to prevent PAS’s proposal. But with PAS president Hadi Awang claiming Pakatan has not made any objections against the implementation of PAS hudud law, one cannot help but wonder how influential DAP can be.

If Hadi did not lie, it proves that DAP has never defended non-Muslims interest nor did DAP treat Karpal’s statements seriously.

In any case, with the passing of Karpal Singh, Guan Eng has finally woken up. I hope that DAP walks the talk, rather than just mouthing rhetoric to feed what the opponents against hudud law want to hear. Otherwise, it will be disgraceful if all these verbal political capital to score vote amount to nothing when PAS’ aim becomes a reality.

WEE JECK SENG is MCA deputy secretary-general and Member of Parliament for Tanjong Piai.