Stop using dirty tactics, PKR tells LDP
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah chairperson Christina Liew has called on Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secretary general Datuk Yong Wui Chung to stop using dirty tactics and turning to race and religion to create a wrong impression about PKR.
Liew, who is also Api-Api assemblywoman, said the wild allegations by Yong in a recent statement against PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s stand on hudud law was uncalled for.
“We respect each other’s religion. We respect the Islamic faith and they respect Christianity and other religions.”
Liew said there was no need to accuse Wan Azizah for supporting the hudud bill, nor should Yong ask the people to reject PKR candidates and making claims that the Islamic law would be imposed on other races if the opposition coalition was given the mandate.
Yong has recently criticized Wan Azizah for her stand on hudud laws, that her party would not rule out the possibility of implementing the Islamic penal code in the country if Pakatan Harapan (PH) captured Putrajaya in the next general election. Yong claimed that PH and PAS had the ultimate agenda to implement hudud laws in Malaysia.
She said PKR had cut ties with PAS in Sabah to show its strong protest when the Islamic party became serious about hudud.
“At the federal level, PAS cut ties with PKR because we reject their Act 355.
“Why are these local parties still harping on PKR working with PAS and supporting hudud and Act 355?”
Liew said she and PKR Sarawak chairman Baru Bian had issued a joint statement on April 21 stating that they were against the proposed amendments to Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) tabled by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
“Our joint statements are clear and certain. We maintain that PAS has the right to table a bill but that is all to the extent of the agreement.
“Sabah and Sarawak hold firm to the view that the objective sought to be achieved by Act 355 Bill is unconstitutional and breaches a fundamental term of the Malaysia Agreement,” she said in a press conference here yesterday.
However, Liew said LDP had accused PKR of working with PAS and supporting the hudud bill.
In fact, she said PAS had announced cutting all ties with PKR on May 1 due to three reasons, one of which was because PKR did not support the Act 355 Bill tabled by PAS in parliament. Liew said PAS’ statement spoke volumes about PKR’s stand on this issue.
“PAS would not have cut ties with us if we really supported Act 355 in parliament.
She said Yong should make sure his facts were right before making such allegations and demanded an apology from him.
Liew said Yong was attempting to create the wrong impression and fear among non-Muslims by alleging that PKR supported Act 355.
“I am calling upon him (Yong), to please stop using dirty tactics and turning to race and religion by using PAS and the Act 355 Bill to give a wrong impression about PKR.
“These are all baseless allegations made by the LDP secretary general.
“Please stop doing this. Don’t apply scare tactics on Sabahans. Sabahans are wise, they will not be fooled.”
Instead, Liew said BN component parties in Sabah should question the stand of the top leadership in Sabah BN and Sabah Umno on Act 355 before accusing PKR.
On a related note, she said some media reports only picked up the sensational bits and conveniently left out the second part when Wan Azizah was asked about her stance on hudud laws in an interview with Al Jazeera.
Wan Azizah said the issue of hudud should be studied by a select committee and tabled in parliament, Liew said, adding that this was also Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s stance.
“But they (media) did not pick up on this or purposely left it out.”
Adding on, PKR Sabah deputy chairman Mustapha Sakmud said the party had already cut ties with PAS in Sabah during Datu Seri Panglima Lajim Ukin’s tenure as the party chief due to differences in opinion on issues, especially hudud laws.
Although Muslims are subject to hudud laws, Mustapha said Sabah and Malaysia did not need the Islamic penal code.
“In the context of Syariah, hudud is only a small part.
“It is not easy for me as a Muslim when we cut ties with PAS. But we cannot accept (the implementation of hudud laws).”
He said there were many critical issues in Sabah that should be addressed, including education, economy and poverty, before talking about hudud laws.