Penang MCA Youth’s effort to collect signatures from the Chinese community is not only unbecoming but irrelevant, says PAS’ state national unity bureau.

Bureau deputy chief Abdul Rahman Kasim said MCA does not understand the wisdom of the hudud law.

He added that PAS’ agenda is that hudud is only for Muslims, especially in Kelantan, and not for non-Muslims.

Abdul Rahman ( right ) said PAS accepted it when Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that hudud cannot be implemented in Penang.

“MCA tries to show as though hudud is the only thing PAS is fighting for,” Abdul Rahman told Malaysiakini .

“I can say that for PAS, hudud is about number 20 on our list. They are so many other issues like corruption, justice, welfare and well-being of the people that we are fighting for,” he added.

He was referring to Penang MCA Youth’s effort to collect more than 700 signatures within two hours during a campaign opposing the proposed implementation of PAS’ hudud at the Apollo wet market in Bagan last Sunday.

In a statement issued on Sunday, state MCA Youth chief Michael Lee said the wing had started the first round of the campaign in Air Itam, at Farlim market last month, and the respond has been good.

Lee said Penang MCA Youth will keep on pushing this awareness campaign in different constituencies and urges the public to rethink carefully about the future of their descendants, whether PAS and DAP will bring any hope to them.

“The Chinese should back MCA to enhance the position of the Chinese in BN, so that we can continue to live and work peacefully in this country.”

Abdul Rahman said PAS tried to push the hudud law through the democratic process - by tabling it in Parliament - but the party has withdrawn it and has gone back to discuss the matter in the special technical committee set up by the federal government.

“We waited more than 20 years, even though we were in government in Kelantan. It is not that we didn’t want to implement it, but we wanted to educate the people about it first,” he said.

‘In Kelantan it is the people’s wish’

“MCA tries to portray us as a vile and useless entity as though we want to force hudud law on the people. But in the case of Kelantan it is the people’s wish,” he added.

“We strongly believe, even with divine help, it is up to the leaders to implement it after going through the democratic process,” he stressed.

Abdul Rahman said PAS will thread carefully in the matter as any flaw in implementation can bring about severe repercussions.

“So we are very careful and will look at every angle and will not simply implement without considering the people’s feelings,” he said.

 

Abdul Rahman said MCA is definitely doing this for political mileage since the party lost massively in the May 5 general election.

He added that MCA was using the hudud law to make themselves relevant again.

“They are also taking the opportunity at what is happening in the Middle East to pour more oil into the fire and frighten the non-Muslims,” he added.