Gerakan raps DAP over Kedah closure move
Gerakan has strongly hit out at the DAP, daring it to severe ties with its coalition partner PAS for persistently pursuing its intention to establish an Islamic state in Kedah.
Gerakan has strongly hit out at the DAP, daring it to severe ties with its coalition partner PAS for persistently pursuing its intention to establish an Islamic state in Kedah.
Its national vice-chief Dr Teng Hock Nan said the party should stop "bluffing and misleading" the people that PAS would discard its intention of establishing an Islamic state of governance in the country.
He directed his dissatisfaction squarely at DAP national secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, questioning whether he had the "guts" to cut ties with PAS.
"Stop promising the people that they should not worry and should support Pakatan Rakyat to take over the federal government in the next general elections and that PAS has given up its intention," said Teng, (
right
) who is also Penang Gerakan chief.
Still moving towards final objective
The fact is that PAS is using its power in Kedah and Kelantan to vigorously implement policies encroaching into the rights and freedoms of other non-Muslim Malaysians, added the former state executive councillor.
Teng was commenting on the Kedah PAS-led government's recent decision to ban entertainment outlets within the state from operating during the fasting month.
These outlets include karaoke centres and discotheques, live band performances with singers at bars, hotels, restaurants and eateries and other areas easily accessed by the public.
Mentri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak said the regulation under the state Entertainment Enactment 1997 which listed these places, however, excluded cybercafes, bowling and snooker centres.
Past returns to haunt DAP
He told the media that the regulation is already in the enactment and was enforced each Ramadan but due to poor enforcement, there were those who did not abide.
Azizan (
left
) had added that all Chinese eateries, outlets and fast food restaurants such as Kentucy Fried Chicken, McDonald's and Pizza Hut that catered for international customers would be allowed to operate as normal.
Cultural and religious performances would be permitted during Ramadan so long as they did not cause disturbance to others, he said.
Teng, however, is not satisfied with this clarification and accused the DAP of being directly or indirectly responsible for helping PAS seize power in the Kedah.
At the 2008 polls and in all the subsequent by-elections, DAP had campaigned for non-Muslim votes for PAS candidates.
Teng said it was crystal-clear that PAS is "slowly, surely, consistently and persistently" working towards establishing an Islamic state in Malaysia.
"The menteri besar has been making strenuous efforts in Kedah to realise PAS' objective," he added.
Teng recalled that the DAP had in the 1990s broken off with PAS over disagreement with the latter's Islamic state policy.
"Furthermore, we can still remember DAP chief Karpal Singh's exclamation ‘Over my dead body' when he vehemently objected to PAS' Islamic state policy," reminded Teng.
