Idris: Senseless to think PAS will abandon hudud in befriending Ikatan
PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad today scoffed at accusations that the party was abandoning its ambition for hudud after it joined forces with Ikatan.
"It does not make sense that PAS would reject hudud in its struggle when forming the third bloc with Ikatan," he said in a statement today.
PAS was accused of flip-flopping on hudud after Ikatan president Kadir Sheikh Fadzir claimed PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and him were in agreement there were more pressing issues to address such as corruption.
Conservative leaders in PAS had previously attacked the party's progressive faction who made similar arguments and were eventually driven out, after which they formed splinter Parti Amanah Negara.
Idris said PAS has always been consistent when it cooperates with any quarters.
He added that PAS also respected the stance of other parties.
He pointed out an example where PAS, from the onset, had been against local elections, which was advocated by DAP, but said nothing of it out of respect.
"Other people also must respect PAS' principles. Do not try to block the ambitions of PAS," he said.
He also slammed those who accused PAS of flip-flopping on hudud as the same people who were opposed to hudud all this while.
He stressed that PAS will still push for hudud through democratic means.
"PAS had stressed repeatedly that the implementation of hudud must be in accordance with the rules and democratic channels.
"PAS is not the Taliban, a theocracy, a revolutionary, or the Islamic State," he said.
He pointed out that PAS had pushed for hudud when it won the states of Kelantan and Terengganu.
Furthermore, he added that PAS' struggle is not solely on hudud and can be seen in the welfare policies it introduced in Kelantan.
"Be confident that Islam is for all. PAS is always evergreen," he said.
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