The Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) said recent statements by MCA and DAP leaders on hudud law were offensive to Muslims and encourages Islamophobia.

NONE In a press release today, Abim president Amidi Abd Manan ( left ) said those statements did not take into consideration the sensitivities and implicit meaning of hudud jurisprudence and Islam as a whole.

“If this situation continues unabated, the phenomenon of Islamophobia which is affecting the harmony between Muslim and non-Muslim societies around the globe will creep into Malaysia,” he said.

He stressed that Islam does not deny the rights of non-Muslims and is strictly defined as such through the principle of maqasid al syariah (the higher objectives of the syariah).

“In view of this, any efforts to create a polemic out of Islamic law to create a bad impression among non-Muslims should be stopped.”

Amidi suggested that both MCA and DAP approach Abim, which is willing to host an academic forum to educate the two parties on the matter.

He added that Abim is also prepared to host a series of events to explain Islamic law to the non-Muslims.

All whipped up over hudud

Over the past decade, MCA has been using PAS’ theocratic state ambitions as the main thrust of its campaign efforts and accusing DAP of acting as PAS’ conduit to power.

mca protest pas hq on hudud 241208 01 There has been a renewed efforts by MCA to raise the Islamic state spectre under the leadership of Chua Soi Lek.

Last December, the party held a forum where panellists warned that non-Muslims would definitely be affected by the implementation hudud law.

Public opposition from DAP to PAS’ position on implementing hudud law has been largely limited to its chairperson Karpal Singh, who has argued that it is not provided for under the federal constitution.

Despite occasional verbal jousting between PAS and DAP over the issue, the two Pakatan Rakyat coalition partners are still cooperating on other matters of mutual agreement.

Meanwhile yesterday, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim reiterated that Pakatan Rakyat respected the differing positions of all its components, and called on the people not to be sidetracked by the hudud spat that he said was being fanned by a "desperate" BN and the mainstream media it controls.