PAS criticises hudud psy-war attempt to split third force

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PAS has hit out at certain parties and media for launching a pre-emptive psychological war by using the thorny issue of Islamic penal code, hudud, to try to create a rift between itself and new ally Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan).

"The actions of certain parties and media which had geared their psychological warfare trying to pit PAS against Ikatan on the first day of our union, using hudud, are irresponsible and can be said to be lacking in political maturity," PAS information chief Nasruddin Hasan said in a statement.

He was commenting on media reports that have cast aspersions on the ability of the multiracial Ikatan and the mainly Malay-Muslim PAS to agree on hudud.

"They resort to accusations and cheap propaganda to sell their stories, while their actions will only destroy the credibility of the PAS-Ikatan coalition in the eyes of the public which depend on media reports (to form their opinion)," said Nasrudin.

He added that PAS' detractors are using hudud as their eternal ammunition to destroy the Islamic party's image, but this will no longer work and it will not split the Islamic party and Ikatan apart.

"PAS wants to remind all parties, especially warlords behind certain media, not to try to slander the party by (accusing it) of abandoning its principles.

“On the contrary, the principles of PAS' struggle are being upheld and respected by all its allies," he said.

Nasrudin said that Ikatan president Abdul Kadir Sheik Fadzir had made it clear during the announcement of the third political bloc earlier today that his party never rejected hudud, but saw that it is now up to the federal government to approve it after PAS has done its part in Parliament to strengthen the Syariah Court.

"While we are a different party, with different ideology and basis of struggle, Ikatan as a multiracial party does not reject PAS' fight for Islamic principles, but respect them.

“PAS agrees that the implementation of Islamic rule be done through democratic channels as the party had done all along," said Nasruddin.

Yesterday, PAS announced the formation of Malaysia's second opposition bloc , which they tout the "third force” aimed at pursuing what they called mature politics and to do away with "extreme opposition" to the government.

The announcement was greeted with scepticism of the effectiveness of the new political bloc, as well as questions on how the new alliance would deal with the thorny hudud issue that had contributed in no small part to the dissolution of the former Pakatan Rakyat.



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