MCA should instead urge Umno to pledge in front of Buddha statue for its cooperation with PAS to implement hudud in Kelantan, said a PAS parliamentarian.

Tumpat MP Kamarudin Jaffar said this was because Umno formed part of joint technical committee with PAS for the implementation.

"MCA should urge Umno to do so, since Umno has declared that it will collaborate with PAS on the hudud issue," he told Malaysiakini .

Kamarudin ( left ) was responding to MCA central committee member Lua Choon Hann, who urged PAS to pledge before Buddha that it will not implement hudud.

Lua said that doing so was important for the Chinese and Siamese voters in Pengkalan Kubor.

However, Kamarudin pointed out the Thai community leaders in the state had never raised the issue.

Meanwhile, Tumpat PAS deputy division chief Zaki Ibrahim said the Islamist party will not pledge in front of Buddha.

"We won't do it as it is not the Islamic way. It's not our way to pledge in front of Buddha statue," he said.

The Kelaboran assemblyperson also pointed out that non-Muslims should not be afraid if hudud is implemented as it will only be used against those who are guilty.

"And they have to remember that non-Muslims are not subjected to hudud law," he said.

Hitting out at MCA, he said the party was simply "desperate" and was trying to gain sympathy from non-Muslim voters in the upcoming by-election.

The BN's Mat Razi Mat Ail is expected to take on Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim of PAS in the by-election fixed for Sept 25. Nomination day is tomorrow.

The seat fell vacant after incumbent Noor Zahidi Omar, of Umno, died of cancer on Aug 20.

Give no-hudud pledge before Buddha, PAS told