©The Star (Used by permission)
by SIRA HABIBU and RAHIMY RAHIM
PETALING JAYA: Kelantan will go ahead with its plan to enforce hudud law despite Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim saying it is not Pakatan Rakyat policy.
The Opposition Leader and PKR advisor, who had initially supported Kelantan’s effort to implement hudud, is now stressing that the law is not part of Pakatan’s policy.
However, the PAS–led Kelantan government is unperturbed by Anwar’s stand.
State executive councillor Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said they had every right on the matter as the Kelantan assembly had passed the criminal syariah enactment in 1993.
“Yes, hudud is not part of the Pakatan’s common policy but Kelantan had passed the enactment long before the coalition was established,” he said,
He added that Anwar’s statement on hudud would not affect Kelan– tan’s stand.
“We have already set up a technical committee to study if we can proceed with the implementation of hudud.
“We are in the process of sending appointment letters to the 19 members of the committee,” he said, adding that the panel had yet to convene its first meeting.
Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat had said his state government would proceed with plans to implement hudud while DAP leaders have strongly objected to it as it contradicted the party’s secular stand.
Clarifying his latest stand, Anwar said all decisions, including the implementation of hudud law, must be based on consensus among the Pakatan parties.
“Any decision worked out between the three Pakatan component parties must be in accordance with the Federal constitution.
“When people ask about my stance on hudud, I tell them that PKR and Pakatan support the constitution,” he told a news portal on Tuesday.
Anwar said as a Muslim, he accepts the Quran, which provides for hudud, but the law would not be implemented as part of the Pakatan policy.
He added that he would convey the message to Nik Aziz, who is also PAS spiritual advisor.
PKR vice–president Tian Chua said PAS had the right to advocate what it believed in.
“We have no problem with that. They can promote their ideology as we practise freedom of speech,” he said.