Sarawak PKR has warned that should DAP pull out of the state Pakatan Rakyat over the proposed implementation of hudud by PAS in Kelantan, it will benefit the state Barisan Nasional.

The warning was sounded by state PKR chairperson Baru Bian in response to the DAP threat.

Last Sunday the state DAP had said that if Sarawak’s PKR and PAS did not decide their stand on the intention of the Islamic party PAS to introduce hudud in Kelantan, it will quit the coalition.

Baru, who is Ba'Kelalan assemblyperson, said that there was widespread anxiety and anger among Pakatan supporters and members that the coalition looked like being on the verge of collapse with th  DAP threat.

"The two-party system is already in place after years of hard-fought battles by the Pakatan coalition. Because of this, Malaysians finally have a real possibility of changing government.

"People are seeing the Pakatan coalition as a viable alternative - 51 percent voted for us, after all, in the 2013 general elections.

Looming horns of dilemma

"With the threat of Sarawak DAP pulling out of Pakatan, we are risking the collapse of the whole PR coalition nationwide and laying waste the efforts of so many of our leaders, including our great statesman, the late Karpal Singh.

"What is there to stop other state Pakatan component parties from doing the same, if Sarawak DAP carries out its threat?

"Even if the national PR remains intact should Sarawak DAP withdraw from PR, where will that leave them?" warned Baru.

“The national DAP will still be with Pakatan but not the state’s,” he said.

He added that the state BN is bound to point out the awkward position the national DAP leadership will be stuck in of still being in the Pakatan coalition and working with PAS.

"Will the Sarawak DAP then have to cut the umbilical cord linking them with the national DAP?"  

Old issue being harped upon

He stressed that the BN coalition would certainly benefit from Sarawak DAP's withdrawal from the state Pakatan.

He said that it had already been announced many times by PR national leaders that hudud is not in the Pakatan coalition agenda, even if it is a PAS aspiration.

"We cannot escape from the fact that this is one of the core aims of PAS. Hudud has been on their agenda since 1994 when the  Kelantan State Assembly passed it into law.

"At that time, the Pakatan coalition had not been formed. Clinging on to the issue like a dog with a bone and harping on it is doing no favour for anyone, unless it is a political strategy that Sarawak DAP leadership in their wisdom have formulated in which case, we stand to be advised," said Baru.

He called on component parties in Pakatan to focus on the many issues which are more relevant to the people, and continue to bring their message of change to the ground.

"Datuk Sri Anwar Ibrahim has just unveiled our seven-point promise for Sarawak - we should be concentrating on these positive issues and preparing for the forthcoming state election instead of wasting our energy bickering over the hudud issue, which in Sarawak, should be a non-issue.

"I assure our loyal friends and supporters that we will not let this incident cause the breakup of a relationship built up over a long period by the efforts of so many.

"Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat will remain intact and we will continue with our quest to fight for a better Sarawak for Sarawakians," he added.

He also said that everyone should rest assured that they will we will do their utmost to ensure that the  Pakatan coalition remains intact and that differences be worked out among themselves.