DAP chairperson Karpal Singh wants PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to state publicly the party's stand on the gender segregation by-law, and not to leave the matter to the Kelantan state executive council.

Karpal, who is the MP for Bukit Gelugor, said the deafening silence by the Kelantan exco to review the by-law on gender segregation that forbids non-Muslim women cutting the hair of non-Muslim men, and vice-versa in salons in Kota Bharu, did not speak well of a responsible government.

"PAS leaders should realise that silence is not the way out and it only aggravates the position. The by-law should be outlawed without further ado," he said in a statement yesterday.

NONE Karpal said the justification on enforcement of gender segregation made by the Kota Bharu Municipal Council was publicly announced by the state local government, cultural and tourism committee chairman Takiyuddin Hassan ( right ) on Nov 24.

"To him, the ruling was a non-issue and he said the by-law was introduced in 1991 in line with the PAS state government's slogan 'Growing with Islam' that applied to both Muslims and non-Muslims. And in 1999 stricter conditions were imposed by the council," he added.

Fear evoked

However, Karpal said the justification certainly evoked fear among non-Muslims that attempts were being made to apply Islamic law to them, which would ultimately mean the introduction of hudud to non-Muslims.

He said the vehement public justification of the by-law by Takiyuddin was obviously the cause of the silence on the part of Kelantan state exco to review it.

Karpal said the last that DAP would want to do was scuttle efforts by the opposition pact in its quest to capture Putrajaya in the coming election.

"However, that the objective cannot, and must not, mean sacrificing principle at the altar of political expediency. The DAP is committed to opposing any attempt to extend Islamic law to non-Muslims, whether directly or indirectly," he added.

He said PAS must respond quickly on this issue, in view of the fast approaching general election.

- Bernama