A review of the Islamic political rhetoric that we’ve heard in the last couple of weeks leads to only one conclusion: PAS is still determined to introduce hudud.
We were led to believe otherwise when PAS and Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia formally sealed a pact of alliance on March 16. The birth of the new alliance seemed to signal a complete turnaround on PAS’ push for hudud.
“I don’t think that Malaysia, in its current situation, is ready to implement hudud law,” PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang said in what was seen as a dramatic change from the position he took last year, when he was pushing for an amendment to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 to enable the introduction of hudud in Kelantan.
That perceived turnaround irritated many politicians, particularly from Pakatan Harapan, who were probably still lamenting the break-up of Pakatan Rakyat and who saw it as being caused by PAS’ enthusiasm in pursuing its hudud agenda.
Zairil Khir Johari of DAP said his party’s quarrel with PAS stemmed not so much from anyone’s opposition to hudud per se as from PAS’ failure to consult with its Pakatan Rakyat partners before forging ahead with its agenda.
This clash between DAP and PAS was indeed the leading factor in the shattering of Pakatan Rakyat. DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng warned Hadi against tabling the hudud bill in Parliament, saying he would have to leave Pakatan Rakyat if he did. Hadi retaliated with his surprise announcement at the muktamar in June that PAS was cutting ties with DAP. The alliance disintegrated quickly.
DAP seems much happier now with Parti Amanah Negara, the splinter group of progressives that emerged from PAS following the shock announcement at the muktamar.
“Amanah has made its stand on hudud clear,” Zairil said. “It is a stand that is progressive. DAP respects that. We have never rejected hudud as a part of Islam. We reject its implementation vis-a-vis our Federal Constitution and the plurality of our population, as well as its suitability given the greater priorities in our country.”
In hindsight, there was no stopping the uneasy alliance from blowing up the way it did. DAP and PAS have always been diametrically opposite parties. One remains a party with a secular, Chinese-majority support base and a natural distaste for hardline Islamism. The other, particularly under Hadi, is a hardline Islamist party.
Whatever anyone says, though, the PAS-Ikatan alliance means next to nothing for the hudud issue. All that’s changed is the timing. PAS is still set on implementing hudud with or without Ikatan’s approval.
“As far as PAS is concerned, the basis of our reference and struggle is the same and never changes. If the motion in Parliament succeeds, we will proceed to enforce it,” said PAS’ Ulama Council chief Mahfodz Mohamad on Friday.
We’re back to the beginning, and no closer to resolving the hudud controversy.