Khairy: It’s a clear sign PAS not sensitive to non-muslims

PUTRAJAYA: The gender-segregation regulation by the Kota Baru Municipal Council is a clear sign that PAS is not sensitive to the nonMuslim community, said Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

“This lack of tolerance and imposition of by-laws that are meant for Muslims on non-Muslims reveal the true face of PAS.

“It is a clear sign that PAS will not distinguish between Muslims and non-Muslims in applying other laws, like hudud,” he said yesterday.

The council’s controversial regulation caused a stir among hair salon operators in Kelantan after they had to pay many summonses for allowing female workers to attend to nonMuslim men, which they thought was permissible.

A salon manager said she settled 11 summonses, with fines of between RM200 and RM350, since she opened her business at the KB Mall in 2010. The fines were imposed under Section 107 (2) of the Local Council Act by-laws which prohibits a woman from cutting the hair of a man and vice versa, regardless of religion.

“This is also a clear sign that the PAS for All slogan will mean Hudud for All,” said Khairy, referring to the PAS slogan introduced in 2009 to portray itself as a party for all, including non-Muslims.

In KUALA LUMPUR, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the ruling was unfair to hairdressers and would raise the ire of the public.

“PAS always say Muslim laws only cover Muslims but their actions say otherwise,” he said.

MCA central committee member Datuk Ti Lian Ker said the ban on female hairstylists cutting the hair of male customers and vice-versa proved the effect of PAS rulings on non-Muslims.

He said the state government also seemed to discourage unisex salons by refusing them licences.

PAS, he said, was clear in what it was pursuing, adding that nonMuslims should not encourage PAS by voting their candidates in the coming elections.