Pakatan may decide on Hudud on Monday

PAS president Hadi Awang would be given an opportunity to clear the air on the party’s recent statements on the issue, says PKR's Azmin.

GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Rakyat may decide on hudud law and Islamic state agenda espoused by PAS in its leadership council meeting tomorrow morning.
PKR deputy president Azmin Ali acknowledged that it was a serious matter and it would not be swept under the carpet.

He however, cut short of saying that Pakatan would make a final decision on the issue, but hinted that the coalition would undertake a major step to resolving it.
He is confident that Pakatan leadership’s wisdom would prevail in reaching an amicable consensus on the contentious issue.

“Pakatan leadership will surely share the outcome of it with the media during the post-meeting press conference,” he told newsmen after a three-hour election meeting with Penang PKR leaders and members in Bayan Lepas today.

Azmin was responding on DAP national chairman Karpal Singh’s call yesterday on Pakatan leadership to make a public stand on the Islamic state and hudud agenda of PAS.

Karpal wants Pakatan to put to rest the never ending debate on the issue and suggested that coalition’s de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as the right person to make the announcement.

PAS firm on hudud

On Friday, PAS Ulama Council chief Harun Taib said they would implement hudud if they are the biggest partner if Pakatan comes into power.

Last week Abdul Hadi said Pakatan, if it comes to power, would amend the federal constitution to change Islam status as the nation’s official religion to Addin (the way of life).

Harun said PAS would even forge pacts with other parties which support Islamic state, if PKR and DAP don’t back it, to initiate constitutional amendments to enforce its Islamic agenda.

The DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has described PAS statements as “a stab in the back.”  He said PAS antics were unacceptable and against Pakatan policy.

He reminded the Islamist party that it can only cooperate with Pakatan allies within the coalition based on common principles.

“Any discussion that goes against the Pakatan manifesto framework will be seen as attempt to stab one in the back,” said the Penang Chief Minister  said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng after witnessing the groundbreaking of Jalan Raja Uda Voluntary Bomba Centre

Lim said the Islamic state issue was not a policy that was agreed upon by all three parties in the Pakatan pact.

He said the Islamic state agenda was not included in Pakatan’s common policy framework.
He also confirmed that DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and Karpal will attend the Pakatan meeting tomorrow.

Hadi to clear the air

Azmin said Pakatan allies, PKR, DAP and PAS, would be given all chances to deliberate on the issue before a decision can be reached.
He said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang would be given an opportunity to clear the air on the party’s recent statements on the issue.
“We must listen first from PAS side of story.

“Everyone will be given a chance to speak on the issue before making a decision,” said the Gombak MP.