'What is the point of back-tracking when the damage is done? It is a lame excuse to say such a move was already enacted by the previous BN government.'

Kedah drops Ramadan bar closure plan

Dark Knight: It's very important that issues that infringe on the rights of any community be discussed first amongst Pakatan Rakyat partners before they are arbitrary implemented.

What is the point of back-tracking to rescind an unpopular decision when the damage is done? It is a hugely lame excuse to say such a move was already enacted by the previous BN government. Then where is PAS' system of good governance that came with a promise of justice and fair play? Where is the concept of a welfare state when another community is unduly burdened?

Remember Terengganu was won and lost by PAS because of such indiscretion on the part of state leaders. Do not turn Kedah into another Terengganu. We need forward-thinking leaders who would not betray the trust of their electorate.

Mokhtar Abu Seman: I salute you PAS for having the courage and decency. This is what the opposition is all about. They look into the grouses of each other and work on them. It is not about ‘ketuanan' and all the rubbish as practised by some. Respect for each other is a tenet of Islam.

Suresh Gnasegarah: So MCA endorsed the entertainment outlet ban when they were ruling the state and yet criticised PAS for enforcing it?

I like how things are working. DAP and PAS openly debating issues and approaches rather "doing it the BN way". No more beggar politics. I want my politicians to argue issues and not ‘kowtow' to Umno the way MIC and MCA have to.

Roland Lee: MCA and Gerakan were the parties to passed the state law to ban the entertainment outlets to please their political master during the BN term in Kedah. Now if PAS state government implement the law passed by Umno, why are MCA and Gerakan jumping high and low?

Kgen: If the ban had been imposed in an Umno-ruled state, do you expect MCA and Gerakan to speak up? No, they will be cowering under the table or making excuses for Umno. Just because it is in a Pakatan-ruled state, MCA and Gerakan make a show of being brave to make noise and "defend non-Muslim rights".

NX: It's apparent that the Kedah MB is a novice and he should be replaced. In today's world of politics we need smart intellects to rule. It's not enough that you are pious. Such quality is suitable to be ‘ketua imam' or something, and definitely does not qualify to be a MB of a multiracial society.

It's apparent that Pakatan has lots to learn about leadership. The novices in DAP had to run to the media to voice their disagreement.

Multi Racial: It does not matter whether a wrong decision was made as long as one is brave enough to correct it when they discover it is wrong. There is no shame to this.

Unlike MCA who have been criticising this decision since the announcement by PAS but they were the party was involved with the approval of this law together with other BN component parties. It is shame they even dare to criticise Pakatan when they were among the cause of it.

Nobody is perfect but when things were proven wrong, we expect the leadership to swallow their pride, admit the mistake, correct it and move on.

BN is Shameful: Congratulations PAS. You have proven to be pragmatic, not dogmatic. You proved you are sensitive to the thousands of non-Muslims who work at these outlets. We non-Muslims are proud of PAS and its principles.

Anak Malaysia: The Kedah government has bungled up over and over again.

One of your first act in Kedah after coming into power was to raise the bumiputera quota to 50% (when Pakatan supposedly champions equality). Now, you are trying to impose Islamist values even on non-Muslims.

Sorry, you have lost my family's vote even though we voted you into power in Kedah in 2008. We would still continue to vote for Pakatan at the federal level though.

Shame on you, MB Azizan Abdul Razak for not moving with the flow of tide and continually angering the minorities with your domineering stance.

Wazir: Let's be fair. A Malay Muslim PAS person has proven that he can be accomodating and reach compromise. Can Chinese, Christians, and DAP be as gracious and accomodating next time there's a problem?

It is Umno that has trampled on Chinese rights, called them ‘pendatang' and whores, and burned churches. Not PAS. Umno has for decades demonised PAS until it is in every non-Malay's mindset to be afraid of PAS. This mistrust of PAS has to change.

I only hope that PAS will try harder to help people to gain confidence in them. Umno is the enemy. Focus your energy on defeating them.

Lusiapa: Fortunately, sanity has once again prevailed in this fragile Pakatan relations. But it's definitely not out of place here to remind Menteri Besar Azizan and his like-minded colleagues in Kedah PAS that the days of illogical or dogmatic comments are over.

Decisions on any matter affecting the state, especially those of a religious nature must be arrived at only after careful and thorough deliberations based on consensus and away from the glare of the media.

After all, Islam is a caring religion and must not be portrayed as otherwise by any form of over-zealousness or arrogance. Pakatan components must be seen to be consultative, not confrontational with one another. MB Azizan must bear this in mind always.

Lexicon: Political maturity requires solving differences of opinion by dialogue - away from the TV and press. PAS and DAP both need to learn to behave like governing parties to represent all segments of the rakyat.

FairPlay: The flip-flog attitude of Kedah PAS suggests that certain section of PAS is not yet ready for national politics. National politics imply living in harmony with mutual respect, tolerance and understanding among all communities.

The Kedah state government by imposing their will just because they are the majority without prior consultation and backtrack when under pressure gives us a glimpse of a possible future which might be not that much different from what is is today.

Nil: There should be no need for a ban at all if Muslims are taught to abstain from doing what is forbidden during the holy month of Ramadan. The onus is for the Muslims themselves to be religious and faithful... and to fear Allah.

Ferdtan: If I am a voter in Kedah, I would not vote for MB Azizan if he keeps up with his penchant for courting unncessary controversies that are detrimental to the unity amongst the Pakatan coalition.

It hurts not only the Pakatan partners, but PAS nationally. As this is not the first time that such high-handed decision made by his administration that are totally out of line with the thinking and spirit of his current national party leaders, we wondered whether the controversial decision was deliberate or not.

Was it to undermine the impetous gain in popularity of the so-called Erdogan leaders? Luckily, good sense prevails from the top leaders. Azizan must be warned as Kedah may fall to BN in the next GE due to as the perception of the non-Muslims that he is an ultra-Muslim conservative who cares not for their feelings.

Zainal: I can see Utusan Malaysia's headline: ‘PAS tunduk pada DAP'.

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