K KANGSAR POLLS PAS kicked off its campaigning to the Kuala Kangsar Chinese community by asking them to give Islamic penal code hudud a try, so that their womenfolk can walk the streets without being harassed.

The message was conveyed at a dialogue session with PAS candidate Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad at Kampung Baru Jerlun, the sole Chinese new village in the constituency, on the first evening of the nomination day.

Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria (photo) cut straight to the chase and spoke on hudud, telling the audience that this will ensure their safety.

"Do we like it when 'Ah Moi' are harassed? Do we like to see our daughters and wives being harassed. Of course we don't.

"Syariah law (hudud) take cares of this," he told some 50 Chinese at a restaurant near at the village the first evening of the nomination day.

"Do you want your money stolen? Of course you don't, that's why you put up grills and alarms. In Islam, we don't have to do this, those who steal will face the music," he added.

Razman argued that the implementation of the Islamic penal code, will see the people walk the streets safely and their properties protected even without police presence.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was also present at the talk.

Elaborating further on hudud, he urged the support of the Chinese voters to both the PAS candidate and hudud.

Hadi also addressed the fear that some non-Muslims had of hudud, explaining non-Muslims can choose if they wanted to be judged under civil law or syariah law.

Hadi, who is also Marang parliamentarian, also related how his Private Member's Bill to amend Act 355, would strengthen the status of the Syariah Court.

He also fielded questions from the media and a Chinese voter, who was present at the dialogue.

Asked afterward what he feels about PAS' foray into the Chinese community, Hadi appeared to be pleased with the turnout.

"I see this as a good response, I hope they accept (our candidate), hopefully," he said.

That they have come to the meet is victory enough, he asserted.

"Their presence (alone) is enough, they can listen to what we say and not to turn a deaf ear (against us).

"At least they can listen directly from us instead of through a middle man.

"(If they listen to us,) the possibility is... (Well, you can see that) not all Chinese support DAP in the Sarawak state polls," he said, positing that the Chinese may vote for PAS after they listen to what PAS has to say."

The by-election will see at some 1,780 voters cast their ballots in this Chinese-majority polling district - Jerlun.

In the 2013 polls, 68.2 percent of the voters supported PAS as compared with 41.67 percent in 2008.

The people who were present were treated with dinner during the speeches delivered by several PAS leaders, including Najihatussalehah.

Some left the event after they had eaten while a few of them concentrated on the speeches.

A Chinese voter told Malaysiakini that he is willing to consider voting for PAS in this by-election.

"What is there to be scared of about hudud?" asked 58-year-old retiree Loke Kwai Cheng.

"My friends have voted for PAS, too, in the last general election," he said.

He claimed that Hadi was the only party president he had met so far, and he felt that the latter was friendly.