DAP chairperson Karpal Singh is not alone in opposing hudud and Islamic laws to be implemented in this country, Teluk Intan parliamentarian M Manogaran said yesterday.

a kugan detention death funeral ummc to puchong 280109 m manogaran He said there are many within DAP who share Karpal’s views, and want moderate laws to be implemented in Malaysia.

Manogaran ( left ) believes quite a number of Malaysians also oppose the implementation of hudud laws and an Islamic state.

"Within DAP, we allow Karpal Singh to do the talking on party policy matters. It does not mean he is alone in his view, but he is airing the views of the party. I for one would oppose the implementation of hudud laws and an Islamic state," he said.

NONE "The reason for this is that our federal constitution does not hold or support such a change to be made as our system is a secular system. Furthermore, more than 40 percent of the population are non-Muslims and hence, the imposition of hudud laws and an Islamic state would not gain their support,” he told Malaysiakini .

Manogaran, who is a lawyer by profession, was commenting on a New Straits Times report yesterday that quoted PAS Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat as saying that DAP chairman Karpal Singh ( right ) was “a lone voice” within DAP in his views against hudud laws and the establishment of an Islamic state in the country.

Manogaran added that this would not pose a problem in continuing the cooperation between PAS and DAP under the Pakatan Rakyat.

Malaysians want moderate laws

The Teluk Intan MP said Nik Aziz’s views would not hold in a moderate, multi-racial and multi-religious society like Malaysia, and that Malaysians in general would not accept it.

He added that former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself did not accept it.

However he said that such differing views would not affect relations between DAP and PAS.

NONE Differing views, says Mahogaran, will assure Chinese and Indian voters that there will be certain perimeters within which the DAP and PAS are willing to work together.

“We must not take for granted that the Chinese and Indians will stay with us (Pakatan Rakyat) no matter what,” he said.

Nik Aziz ( left ) and Karpal have been trading barbs over the hudud law and the Islamic state issues for quite some time, reflecting the opposing views of both influential opposition leaders.

Despite this, both PAS and DAP have managed to work together as seen in the Selangor Pakatan government, as well as the Perak government before it was overthrown by BN.