Mujahid, it’s way too late for hudud debate
YOURSAY ‘Lines are so sharply drawn that political realignments are inevitable.’
PAS leader: Kit Siang's coalition idea 'premature'
Ferdtan: There are two messages when DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang suggested for a new coalition of lawmakers to defend the constitution and rule of law.
He wants a government ruled by a secular constitution; effectively dividing it into a ‘pro-hudud’ camp and the ‘non-supporting hudud’ unity government.
Secondly, he is pressuring Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to come to the desired decision to kill off the PAS hudud private member’s bill.
He has further indirectly warned that Najib can go (resign or replaced); and he, as DAP strongman who has great influence on his party, can accept any BN leader in his proposed ‘unity coalition’.
Rumours are in the air that it will be BN’s Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as no one in BN can come close to his status. DAP, unofficially through Kit Siang, has thrown its weight for change of PM.
All it needs now is the support from Mahathir’s faction in Umno to seal Najib’s fate. Najib started the battle with PAS but will he lose the war?
CHKS: I would really like to see Saifuddin Abdullah on the Pakatan Baru team. When Saifuddin was in the Ministry of Higher Education, there was at least some improvement in the standard of higher education in Malaysia.
Fair Play: PAS MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa, PAS is the real loser, especially with Abdul Hadi Awang at the head of your political party.
If PAS insists on implementing hudud, a political realignment is inevitable - one side hell-bent on implementing Islamic rule of law, Islamic social norms, etc, and the other side strictly adhering to the letter and spirit of the Federal Constitution.
And I am not surprised at all that the majority of educated and right-thinking Muslim Malaysians want the Federal Constitution to be the supreme law of the land too.
So, now PAS is caught between a rock and a hard place. Take your pick because time has already run out for PAS.
Hplooi: Dear Mujahid, while we would certainly welcome a "healthy debate" on the hudud issue, unfortunately the current trend is veering to the rancorous and even intimidating. And that does not bode well for the case of "healthy debate" in Malaysia.
Pputeh: Mujahid, what debate are you talking about? Did you just land on this planet?
Your president played the Pakatan partners first on the Selangor MB issue and now on hudud, and you want a healthy debate? We debate with rational, honest people - not liars and traitors.
I guess you are also counting the cost to you as all politicians do - fewer votes from non-Muslims if hudud becomes law.
Legit: It looks like Mujahid has just woken up. PAS never bothered to debate the issue with its coalition partners before tabling the bill. They were high on all the sex issues in hudud and were so happy to go to bed with Umno.
Now he is are calling for a debate. It is an oxymoron. The bottom line is PAS is not a reliable partner and cannot be trusted for a penny.
Anonymous #85427712: It's your leader who is avoiding a healthy debate.
Kim Quek: A healthy public dialogue on hudud is, of course, long overdue, and must be carried out irrespective of what future political re-alignment will be among current protagonists.
It is only through diligent rational discourse that either the winner or loser of this debate will find peace with his conscience over the decision reached.
Yes, Najib’s anticipated statement on this burning issue - after his historical summit meeting with chiefs of all 12 component parties of BN (there are 13 in BN) in Parliament on March 19, where these party chiefs concurrently pledged support for Najib’s leadership and expressed their resolute opposition to hudud - will be critical and may even be a watershed event in Malaysian politics for years to come.
Drngsc: Dear Mujahid, the ball is in your court. Get rid of Hadi and the ulama, and the problem is solved. With Hadi and the ulama in PAS, the end is near for Pakatan.
We do not trust Hadi and the ulama anymore. They lie and cheat and have been bought over by Umno. Please throw out Hadi and the ulama.
Kadir Sulong: Form Pakatan Baru Bersatu. You will find the moderate PAS members cornered and they will be forced to make the decision either to break away from mainstream PAS, or remain with Hadi.
Now is the time for DAP and PKR to show their teeth. Otherwise they will be successfully split by the cunning of Umno/Hadi. It is now or never.
SelangorKu: Mujahid, I concur with you that there should be debate first. But it is PAS leaders that said non-Muslims cannot talk about hudud. So how?
Astounded: PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli said he would "wait and see" if BN would suffer a break-up due to Najib's stand.
There is no way that non-Umno BN partners will walk away if Umno were to back hudud. Their leaders are already too beholden to Umno to do anything contrary to its wishes. Would a drug addict walk away from the provider of the drugs?
Saddened: We have no way out, it’s Hobson's choice. If this new coalition 'materialises', for once we get to see civility and neutrality in the government.
MPs, why not give the suggestion a try? If it works, it is for the betterment of our beloved Malaysia.
The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .
These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.
For more news and views that matter, subscribe and support independent media for only RM0.36 sen a day:
Subscribe now