PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's claim that local council elections may bring about a repeat of the May 13, 1969 racial riots has led NGOs to suspect PAS was the reason their bid for local elections in Selangor had stalled.

In a statement today, the Coalition of Good Governance (CGG) said they had been actively working with the Selangor government to hold local council election since Pakatan Rakyat took over the state from BN in 2008.

"In 2011, after numerous meetings, the pilot election in Petaling Jaya was about to be launched, when for mysterious reasons it was put on hold.

"Hadi's statement has increased the suspicion that PAS is the final obstacle towards the people’s wish for the restoration of the third vote," said the coalition, in a statement sent by its co-chairperson Jeffrey Phang today.

Yesterday Hadi hit out at Pakatan partner DAP's ambitions of reinstating local elections saying it would lead to "instability" , pointing out the Chinese purportedly dominated the cities and would thus marginalise the rural populations.

Hadi's salvo is likely a tit for tat against DAP for criticising Kelantan PAS' push for the implementation of hudud law in the state.

'Behaving like Perkasa'

CGG said Hadi's suggestion linking local elections with racial riots was "illogical" and "irresponsible".

"Bringing in a threat of racial disturbance and violence to substantiate his objection to local council election is highly irresponsible and tantamount to fear mongering and brings the PAS leader to the same level of the likes of personalities from Isma, Perkasa and Pekida.

"Hadi's assumption of racial animosity among the people is wrong.

"The response to the recent flood in Kelantan is solid proof as people from all walks of life; different races and religion put their differences aside and worked feverishly to help the people of Kelantan recover from the devastation.

"Never before in Malaysia have we witness such strong evidence of the closeness of all the races," the coalition said.

The PAS chief's accusation that his Pakatan partners were using local elections as a ploy to draw voters only showed his "disconnect with the people wishes".

"The statement is a naughty play of words to suggest that it is improper to meet the expectation of the people for local council election.

"It is also shocking and ungrateful, to assume such ill will on its coalition partners when they are also currently still active in sending volunteers to help the flood victims in Kelantan."

The coalition also berated Hadi for being hypocritical for stoking racial sentiments for political mileage, and for being untrustworthy in the opposition coalition.

"His public statements are stoking racial and religious sentiments for political mileage creating divisiveness in the society instead of building up the nation.

"Hadi's obstinate attitude of not playing by the rules is reflected in many of his past actions," the group added, citing the insistence on hudud that goes against Pakatan's 2011 common policy framework, and for sabotaging the Kota Damansara seat in the last general election by putting up PAS' own candidate in a three-cornered fight after agreeing that Pakatan would field a PKR candidate.

'Representation along racial line a concern'

Meanwhile, PAS’ Khalid Samad said Hadi's statement may be legitimate but it doesn't help the coalition to have a public spat over the issue.

The Shah Alam MP said throughout, unbalanced representation according to race for councillor positions is one of the reasons behind the postponement of local government elections in Selangor.

"The issue is something which requires in-depth discussion but it does not have to lead to a dispute out in the open," he told Malaysiakini .

Khalid said with that in mind, there was a proposal for the Shah Alam city council to have an equal number of elected and apppointed candidates to fill up 24 positions.

 

"There is also a suggestion that voting is not done for any individual but for teams, to ensure those elected comprise all races.

 

“With this method, the notion that any particular race will dominate does not arise," he added.

 

He also dismissed the allegation made by CGG, which said Hadi was the cause for the delay in implementing the third vote. 

 

"The speculation by the NGO is not accurate. I further disagree that Hadi's statement on local government elections is in response to DAP's rejection of hudud. 

 

"These two issues (hudud and local government election) are not accepted as the common policy framework (by Pakatan Rakyat) central leadership," he said.