It is regrettable that there are still giants of Malaysian politics like DAP leader Karpal Singh who are trapped in the archaic time zones of ‘Jurassic politics’, said the Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF) chairperson Dr Mazeni Alwi.

“It is evident that Karpal’s entrenched position is based on old prejudices and out of synch with the openness that Malaysia’s new politics expects,” he said in a statement.

dap judiciary crisis forum 110906 karpal singh Karpal had reacted negatively two days ago to PAS Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad's statement to the Star earlier that the Islamic opposition party was not discarding its agenda to set up an Islamic state.

"It is incongruous for PAS to insist on having on its agenda (the) Islamic state and at the same time work with the other two parties in the Pakatan Rakyat," said the DAP chairperson.

"PKR, DAP and PAS cannot run with the hares and hunt with hounds," he added.

The new post-2008 election political landscape is based on the principles of universal justice, equity and fairness, and an "ethno-religious" discourse which is transparent, civil and sensitive, yet non-emotional, said Mazeni.

These, he added, were among the very aspects that Dzulkifly said in a forum titled 'Who Needs an Islamic State' were the "substance" of the Syariah as much as the latter is concerned with "the public interest of humanity, avoiding harm, enriching (with) benefits."

Karpal, widen your horizon

"With his witty and friendly style, he engaged the audience by explaining how the construct or form really does not matter, as what counts is the substance," Mazeni pointed out.

dr mazeni alwi interview interfaith 010606 intellect He added that Karpal's statement was not evidence-based and hence devoid of any grasp of the forum in Bukit Kiara last Sunday.

Mazeni ( left ), however, suggested that Karpal should widen his reading horizons and references instead of confining himself to the mainstream press' take on Dzulkifly's statement.

"The de facto leader of Pakatan Rakyat and the august Pakatan Rakyat consultative council needs to rein in these dinosaurs who are much too often celupar (bad mouth) and are myopic as to what constitutes fact and fiction," he said.

At the Sunday event, Dzulkifly also said that the term ‘Islamic state’ is not found in the Quran or in the prophetic tradition of the Prophet.

"I am not here to defend a particular form of Islamic state. To me this is not the be all or end all or the purpose of the Islamic movement and the Islamic political party," he added.