YOURSAY ‘It looks like he is going to back down from Umno’s public pledge.’

Kim Quek: That the Kelantan hudud push was an Umno plot to split Pakatan Rakyat is no news, as that has been common knowledge.

What is intriguing is the nature and extent of Abdul Hadi Awang’s tete-a-tete with Najib Abdul Razak behind the scenes. Now that it looks apparent that Najib is going to back down from Umno’s public pledge to PAS to realise its hudud dream, has some kind of disillusionment set in among the ulama faction led by Hadi?

As for Pakatan’s solidarity, I am not unduly worried, as its common passion to see this country rid of Umno’s corrupt and decadent rule is still strong and intact, if not for Hadi’s distraction. Serious problem may only arise when Hadi sweeps in convincingly in the coming PAS election.

In the meantime, be patient and tactful; and always be reminded that it’s Najib’s leadership that is in real trouble, despite his current support, which is superficial and may prove to be transient.

Aries46: I really doubt Najib will have the last laugh. Hadi was walking a fine line becoming more unpopular by the day among the Erdogan and ulama factions and likely to be toppled by either of them.

He was also under pressure from the hardliners for the collaboration with Pakatan that treated it as a party of flip-flops.

Umno-BN on the other hand has been going down the slippery slope since 2008, with the next election as its Waterloo. So the PAS/Umno hudud union was out of desperation for Najib's and Hadi's survival.

Having pulled off the betrothal in the Kelantan assembly, Najib is now caught between a rock and a hard place to go through with the promised union as the BN parties are up in arms as they face the prospect of closing shop if they toe the line.

If Najib pushes the marriage through at all costs, it would be a bleak honeymoon - his road to perdition. If he defaults, it would be double jeopardy - the road to perdition for both Umno and his ditched partner PAS. Pakatan Rakyat Baru may still have the last laugh.

Clongviews: It is a blessing in disguise that the implosion of Pakatan happens now. A new crop of young opposition leaders have surfaced and over the past few years some of them have forged close ties.

They know that sooner or later leaders like Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Hadi have to go and they have to take over the reins.

It is now more urgent that these young leaders quickly pick up the bits and pieces, settle on common goals and of course make the necessary sacrifices/compromises so as to become a stronger opposition by whatever name.

Mushiro: The splitting of PAS and DAP is inevitable and a matter of time. It is better to cut off the cancerous ulama faction of PAS rather than attend to their pranks.

People are waiting for PasMa to step in. Yes, Pakatan may lose out a little but it is better to work with realistic facts.

Abu Iman: PAS, oh PAS, where are your principles? Are you a political party or a religious group? You cannot be both.

If you are a political party, join Umno and if you are a religious group, keep to your struggle, which is a tall order, to influence other Malays. Your track record is not that great in administration. Think, think, think.

The Analyser: "Individually, the Pakatan parties do not have much impact, but collectively"... they attracted a lot of votes.

They were never a powerful force because they were weakened by Malaysian-ness. Ignorance, lack of direction, lack of vision, inability to stick to party principles, incompetence... and eventually the ultimate Malaysian weakness, selfishness and greed were their undoing.

Pakatan was a massive hoax that took thinking Malaysians’ hopes and aspirations and sacrificed them on the altar of their own selfishness and greed for power.

What's worse is that Malaysians have lost hope for any improvement and can only foresee more and more Islamic repression.

RCZ: I disagree with the writer’s views. BN has walked into their own trap that they had set for PKR. Is it no secret that DAP has opposed hudud from time immemorial.

Their stand is not new. PKR is toeing a fine line and we see that. BN must now decide whether to toe the Umno line and so must East Malaysia on the hudud issue.

Just as much as BN will decide on constitutional, racial and religious lines, so will Pakatan. At the end of the day, it is the rakyat who will endorse or accept their elected representatives’ views and how theses reps voted on the hudud issue.

If the rakyat are not happy with the reps’ vote, the reps will not be re-elected next round. All things must unfold slowly and they will. The ball is now in BN’s court.

Maplesyrup: Hadi can sleep at night despite the troubles of the nation's citizens, so what's new?

As events unfold, it appear that hudud will be a non-event for now, but it exposes how selfish and unwise the PAS ulama leadership is - pushing for hudud knowing the obstacles, and willing to pay the price of breaking up Pakatan and betraying non-Muslims who voted for them believing it is ‘PAS for All’.

There is a silver lining to this for Pakatan. There is time to regroup and strategise for the next general election. As for Najib, who cares about him?

Lone_Star: What did William Shakespeare have to say about cowards and deaths - “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”

By goading PAS on hudud and hesitating to follow through, he has shown himself to be what he truly is.

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