DAP chairperson Karpal Singh has urged allies PAS to stop pressing for the implementation of hudud laws in the interest of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

"PAS should endeavour to look at the larger picture. It is my fervent hope that PAS will reconsider its position on hudud law and (establishing an) Islamic state.

NONE "It would be wrong for PAS to rock the boat especially when the time is ripe for Pakatan Rakyat to replace BN at the national level and relegate the BN into the opposition," said Karpal ( right ) in a statement today.

Karpal's appeal to PAS follows claims by the Islamist party's spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat that Pakatan would implement hudud laws if it takes over the federal administration.

This prompted, as had happened many times before, Karpal and DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang to vehemently deny this.

Karpal said that DAP is prepared to work with PAS in the public's interest to form a two-party system, taking heed from the results "adequately demonstrated" by the Pakatan's inroads during the last general elections.

The veteran lawyer also quotes the Supreme Court's decision in 1988 in the case of Che Omar bin Che Soh v Public Prosecutor in which a five-man bench led by then Lord President Salleh Abas had ruled unanimously that Malaysia is ruled by secular laws.

‘Give hudud a chance'

In another development, PAS Youth has offered to "educate" Karpal, Lim and anyone else over PAS' plans to implement hudud laws.

pas muktamar 130610 nasruddin hassan 1 PAS Youth chief Nasruddin Hassan ( left ) said hudud law was vital in repairing tears in the social fabric and declining morals amongst the public.

"The spiritual leader Nik Aziz has suggested that Islamic laws and hudud be implemented temporarily while all parties find solutions on how resolve chronic social problems," he said.

Nasruddin points to Karpal's suggestion for the death penalty to be meted out on child rapists as an example of the severity of the degradation of social values.

"Karpal himself has suggested a penalty that is even harsher than hudud penalties which he opposes... Why reject (our suggestion) when society has yet to witness how Islamic laws operate and correct the values and dignity of society which had been badly scarred today?

"It is unfair to reject Islam at such a premature stage when no chance has been given for it to show its ability to resolve social cancers," said Nasruddin.