‘Better’ clarification sought on Umno’s link
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA wants a “better clarification” from Umno on why it allowed and expedited a Private Member’s Bill by an opposition MP.
Its Youth chief Chong Sin Woon said the party was unaware of any kind of pact or understanding between Umno and PAS in relation to the issue.
“As a Barisan Nasional component party, I think we ought to know and be told about this.
“I want to remind Umno that if you are trying to get support from PAS to maintain a strong government, you must also consider support from component parties within Barisan.
“If getting support from outside would result in a decrease of support from within, then it would be much worse,” he said after attending the graduation ceremony of CECE Institute at SJK(C) Wangsa Maju yesterday.
On Thursday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia allowed a government motion to expedite a Bill tabled by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in Parliament for debate.
The Bill sought to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act to empower Islamic courts to impose any punishment allowed by Syariah law except the death sentence.
Chong said it was important to strengthen Barisan, instead of seeking ties with PAS, which would definitely jeopardise relationships within the ruling coalition.
On the proposed amendments, he said: “Once the floodgates are open, there is no way back.”
He said MCA had no intention of interfering in Islamic affairs but merely to defend a secular, multi-racial and multi-religious country.
He stressed that the party was not against Islam but was protecting the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara on which the country was founded.