YOURSAY | ‘Not surprisingly, non-Malays say - no thank you. We defend the constitution.’

Hadi: Vote PAS in GE14 because we are clean

David Dass: If what PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang says about PAS leadership and corruption is true, then that is a good thing. It says a good deal about the people who are members of PAS and the leadership of PAS.

The late PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat had a nationwide reputation for integrity and humility. No one doubts or questions the piety of many of the followers of PAS.

The problem is the PAS agenda of hudud and an Islamic state. Malaya, later to be Malaysia, was set up as a constitutional democracy. Whether PAS likes it or not, we are a secular nation in the same way that India, Thailand, Singapore, UK, US and most of the countries of the Western world are secular.

That means all citizens of those countries are equal before the law and enjoy the equal protection of the law. That means freedom of worship is guaranteed. And other freedoms like freedom of expression, movement, peaceful assembly and association are all guaranteed.

We have accepted the doctrine of separation of powers into our system - so the legislature, the executive and the courts function independently of each other. All powers, rights and responsibilities devolve or flow from the constitution.

The Federal Court has recently ruled that the constitutional scheme cannot be changed by Parliament. Under that scheme, non-Malays can be in the cabinet and can be judges.

Under Hadi's scheme, non-Muslims cannot be in the cabinet and cannot sit in judgment over Muslims. The rights of non-Muslims will come from the Islamic state. In a sense, it is a gift to them from a beneficent Islam.

Not surprisingly, the non-Malays say - no thank you. We defend the constitution.

Samurai: Not being probed for corruption doesn't make one clean. BN is a shining example of how Hadi is spinning a yarn.

There can be numerous reasons why one would not be probed in Bolehland. We can think of a number of reasons why PAS is off the radar, despite allegations by people like former PAS leader Husam Musa.

Turvy: People like Hadi suppress the truth and live a contradiction, which is that they, despite their faith, have to depend on secular truths embedded in the myriad inventions they cannot live without.

The moment you don a factory-woven fabric you immediately concede that religious principles cannot support governments. The only way to rule is through good moral principles based on equality, fairness and the rule of law, and to adopt ways that will enable the individual to develop his full potential.

Anonymous: Thanks, but no thanks. We the voters can make do without PAS. A clean government is important, but can PAS attract investments both domestic and foreign?

From what we know, PAS is only "good" in religious affairs. Voters want more than this - they want development and a strong economy.

Anonymous 278451459939581: Although not a Muslim, I had long admired PAS as a truly honest party. They had a clear direction and agenda - to make Malaysia an Islamic nation via the polling booth.

We cannot say the same for the new PAS. How we all miss the stately Nik Aziz - honest to a fault, unbelievably humble and modest and always with a kind word for everyone irrespective of his or her political leaning.

He truly thought we were all Malaysians. Will we ever see that in PAS again?

Education dept slammed for threatening Chinese school which hosted DAP do

Anonymous 2408491459228145: Pei Chun High School is an independent school. It does not receive any financial aid from the government.

The Johor Bahru district education office has no business interfering in the school's affairs. This is just the act of a district education officer trying to show that they were beholden to Umno-BN.

Kim Quek: Renting a school hall to BN is okay, but renting to the opposition is a crime that will bring hefty fines and imprisonment? Where in the world can you find such a government, except in a failed state?

The people should now be double-determined to dump such a rotten government to the dustbin of history through the imminent election.

Ravinder: Sorry, but MCA Pulai Sebatang assemblyperson Tee Siew Kiong is wrong; Umno does not keep politics out of schools, and neither do the other BN parties. This is a private school and the hall is private property.

The Education Department is being very high handed in giving fake warnings. Bring out the provision of law that says a fine and even a jail term could be imposed. What is the crime? Spell it out.

If it is true, then action must also be taken against that school in Putrajaya that had Umno flags all over it. Send the headmaster of that Putrajaya government school to jail first, and then give warnings to private schools.

In all likelihood, it is the Education Department officers who want to be in the good books of their political masters. They are the ones against whom the ministry can take action easily by transferring them to far-off places.

Therefore, they have to do the bidding of their political masters, whose hands they are not supposed to bite. The private schools should stand firm.

If BN parties can use their halls, so can all other parties. If Umno can have its flags all over schools, so should the other parties. No double standards, please.

Anonymous 2475841497493896: This is the joke of the day. Politics should be kept out of schools, said the Education Department?

Why don't you advise the minister who brought in party flags and wore his party shirt when he visited a Kuala Lumpur primary school? What they mean to say is, politics should be kept out of schools only when it is the opposition.

Headhunter: The level of paranoia has gone bonkers for the ruling party. Renting a hall is not like getting involved in politics in school. Are they so stupid that they can't discern the difference?

The school is just making a bit of extra money to fund their school, which should be encouraged. It's not like they do it during classroom time. As long as no students or teachers are involved, it should be alright.

Gerard Lourdesamy: Is the state Education Department taking instructions from a caretaker government?

Then ban Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan from using the same hall. Do not allow politicians on the premises. If the state caretaker exco wants to use the hall, ensure there are no political speeches and references to BN.

Plus no BN flags, banners, buntings and posters. The rakyat are sick and tired of these petty BN ‘dedak’ eaters sitting in government offices and playing politics.

Go4Change: When a government starts intimating the people, it is time we change the government.

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