PKR chief rebuked for hudud stand

BN leaders slam Wan Azizah over her hudud laws ‘still a possibility’ remark

PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s stand on hudud laws has created a storm.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, the PKR president said the implementation of hudud laws in the country “is still a possibility”.

She said the party would not rule this out should the Opposition capture Putrajaya in the next general election.

This has created an uproar with Barisan Nasional leaders coming out to criticise her for making that stand.

MCA vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said it was obvious since day one that PKR had never rejected the Private Member’s Bill tabled by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

“PKR is just trying to divert the people’s attention on this issue. It has also been making different stands when facing the people.

“We urge Malaysians who are counting on them to uphold the Federal Constitution to seriously ponder over this.

“Is it worth depending on them for the future of our nation?” she said.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon said it was a pity to see an Opposition leader flip-flopping on a major issue.

“Among non-Muslims, they say the country is not ready yet and it is a no-go for hudud.

“But now, when they found out that a majority of Muslims were supportive of the implementation, they switch their stand again.

“You can see the real face of the Opposition,” he said.

Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Liang Teck Meng also criticised Dr Wan Azizah.

“I’m also very surprised with her readiness to be a ‘standby prime minister’ and wait until (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim) is out of jail.

“Having this mindset and not ruling out the implementation of hudud laws is ridiculous,” Liang said.

In the Al Jazeera’s UpFront programme aired last Friday, interviewer Mehdi Hasan had questioned Dr Wan Azizah on a host of issues, including hudud laws, stoning and amputation.

Dr Wan Azizah responded by saying that “hudud is not implemented unless all the things that are supposed to be in line of justice are there”.

When pressed further whether there would be a situation where stoning might be accepted, Dr Wan Azizah replied: “Not in the near future.”

In the interview, she also explained that as a Muslim, hudud was something that had to be accepted as it was “God’s laws”.

Dr Wan Azizah, when asked if she wanted nothing to do with PAS and hudud laws, responded: “We want the votes of the people on the ground.”

MIC Youth chief Datuk Sivarraajh Chandran said Malaysians should teach PKR a lesson for its “inconsistency and hypocrisy”.

He said PKR instigated others to go against hudud and showed non-Muslims how much the party was against it but among Muslims, the party wanted to portray itself as “a champion of hudud”.

But PKR leaders defended their president, saying that Dr Wan Azizah’s remarks on hudud were the party’s stand.

PKR vice-president Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said there was no contradiction as it was in line with the party’s earlier stand to oppose Abdul Hadi’s Bill.

“We will only support if there is justice in all aspects of life,” he said.

Fellow PKR vice-president Tian Chua said the party’s general view was that “hudud is not a current priority”.