your say 'I'd rather vote for PAS whose candidates are more trustworthy than anyone from the Barisan Nasional coalition parties.'

Hadi spurns cooperation with Umno-BN

Lim Chong Leong: The term ‘Malay Unity' was coined by Umno for the sole purpose of stirring racial sentiments and nothing else. First of all, there is no Malay ‘disunity', so there is no need to work for Malay ‘unity'.

Every community has differences in political outlook, but that is not disunity. The Chinese and Indian Malaysians are constantly divided in supporting either BN or the opposition, but is there Chinese or Indian disunity? Do we talk of Chinese or Indian unity? No.

Likewise in comparison, half of the US are Republicans and the other half are Democrats. Are the Americans not united? Is there a constant need within the US to call for American unity? Or even worse, do they call for white or black or Hispanic unity? No. Likewise in UK or Australia.

In fact, such calls for racial unity would be illegal in many countries for being racist. In conclusion, the Malays are not divided just because many do not support Umno.

Anonymous_4031: Umno's call for Malay unity is just a camouflage to gain support and also to split Pakatan Rakyat. The PAS president has sent a clear message to Umno - that the so-called Malay unity is a non-starter.

Abdul Hadi Awang also lambasted Umno for failing to help all those Malaysians who are in need of help. The recent electricity tariff hike has hit the pockets of all households. Directly or indirectly, consumers still have to pay higher prices for their daily needs.

Not charging those who use less than RM77 electricity monthly will not help these households as they still have to buy from the retailers and supermarkets who are being hit with higher electricity bills.

2cts Worth: Any right-thinking people will not be associating with thieves and robbers for any purpose, least of all for Malay unity. PAS and Umno are miles apart in honesty and righteousness. Keep your distance from Umno, Hadi.

Keturunan Malaysia: I believe the time must come when Malaysians do not have to speak of race and religion to divide and rule or to fish for votes.

So long as PAS walks the talk to be inclusive rather than exclusive, we have some hope that Malaysians of different races and religions will not move like railway tracks - always apart and never ‘touching' each other.

Truly Malaysian first, Hadi, your speech is a good start.

Anonymous_3f1f: I'd rather vote for PAS whose candidates are more trustworthy than anyone from the BN coalition parties.

Unlike Umno, PAS members and politicians do not talk bad or ridicule non-Muslim communities. Umno members and their cohorts are fond of making all kinds of remarks against other communities to make them look bad in the eyes of the Malays.

This is the vast difference between PAS and Umno. I can't understand how MIC, MCA and Gerakan can tolerate the nonsense of Umno calling the non-Malays pendatang and constantly reminding them of the May 13 incident.

Kelvinc: I am very glad Hadi has chosen to take Malaysia on the right path. I have been voting for PAS for more than 20 years in Segamat, Johor, and I will continue to campaign for PAS as I have done for as many years. I now see hope on the horizon for my precious Malaysia.

Anonymous_418f: The non-Malays turned to PAS in the last general election because Umno has become a ‘tuan' - a ruling elite comprising of the likes of Najib Razak, Hishammuddin Hussein and Mukhriz Mahathir who think that this country should be passed down from fathers to son. Just go to Putrajaya to see their arrogance.

SusahKes: This is a way better speech than the one delivered by Najib's crush-our-bodies-to-defend-Putrajaya one.

Not time yet to abandon Islamic state: Hadi

AkuMelayuIslam: As a Muslim, I know for a fact that everything about Islamic rules are good for humankind.

There is no instruction in Islam for Muslims to rob non-Muslims, terrorise others, force others to convert, practice corruption, blow up people with C4, lie, encourage racial hatred, drag a cow's head around, mark ‘X' on another human forehead, torture witnesses or suspects, practice money politics, take away land from families... these are not the way of Islam but is practised by a sector of Malay Malaysians.

Lee Hwa Beng: We should be more interested in the substance rather than the form. Negara Islam or ‘welfare state' are really encompassing concepts that affect non-Muslims too.

Jiminy Qrikert: Lee Hwa Beng, stop your MCA-inspired nonsense. The fact is while PAS and DAP do not agree on the Islamic state issue, they have agreed to work together for the greater good of the rakyat.

It is about time that MCA stop to consider where the Chinese you claim to represent will be in 2050, if for example the Chinese are only 10 percent of the population, and 80 percent of the Malays decide they indeed do want an Islamic state, what are you going to do about it?

So, I will stake my future with PAS working with DAP to allow for non-Muslims an avenue that respects our culture and way of life without Islam being rammed down our throats. I have nothing against Islam.

As long as Pakatan have a formula in place that respects this and PAS is willing to accept that non-Muslims can live the life we choose, then I will vote PAS anytime.

Wira: Any government that is clean, fair and honest to its citizens will surely have our support. Mere rhetoric won't do. With the BN government so corruptly incompetent, it should be easy to kick them out if the opposition can sell their ideas with good leadership examples in the states they now rule.

Gen2indian: Islam has been distorted by BN politicians to suit their agenda. If PAS and Pakatan can guarantee 'welfare for everyone', I will be the first in line to join them. Ditto for millions in Malaysia who yearn for an open, accountable government of the people, by the people, for the people.

Cocomomo: A state that considers and implements policies for the welfare of all its citizens in general, irrespective or race and religion, is the way forward. Universal human values based on tolerance and respect for individual beliefs and rights is fundamental.

The universal human values within Islam should not present problems to anyone. However, there should be no imposition of religious-based beliefs on anyone. What is said by Hadi, taken at face value and hopefully said with sincere intention to implement and not just get votes, is far more acceptable than what is currently practiced by the BN government.

Nicc: A welfare state doesn't have to be Islamic. Hadi is conflating the two. The Swedish state is a welfare state but doesn't claim to have any religious principles. Why not just call it a welfare state?

Every Vote Counts: Even if we become an Islamic state, we non-Muslims can still can drink beer, eat pork and whatever. And I would love to see many Umnoputeras/puteris without arms/hands because they stole state assets by the billions. Yeah, chop off those stealing hands.

Anonymous_3f15: Why do people indulge in debates about semantics? What does 'Islamic state' mean to people when there is corruption, social injustice, high unemployment and so on?

 

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