PAS not part of PR if it tables hudud bill, says Gobind

PETALING JAYA: PAS will no longer be seen as part of Pakatan Rakyat if it tables the hudud bill in the Kelantan State Assembly on March 18 as it does not have the backing of the coalition.
DAP National Legal Bureau chairman Gobind Singh Deo said in a statement that it is against the policy framework of Pakatan Rakyat if PAS will carry on with the tabling of the hudud bill.
PAS is expected to table two private members' bills in Parliament next month, which are aimed at removing constitutional obstacles currently preventing it from enforcing the hudud law that it enacted in Kelantan back in 1993.
"The tabling of this bill will also go against the agreement reached in the last PR leadership meeting where it was made clear that there should be further discussions between all three parties before any further steps are taken on the matter," Gobind said.
Gobind, who is also the Puchong MP urged the PAS leadership to show commitment and respect the decisions made by the PR leadership council.
"If that be the case, those leaders in PAS who are behind this move must then be brave enough to acknowledge that they have pushed PAS to part ways with Pakatan Rakyat and put into question its credibility in terms of projecting itself as a party which is focused on and wants to work towards strengthening Pakatan Rakyat," Gobind said.
Gobind added that PAS should not warn the DAP to keep out of the affairs of Kelantan.
"PAS must remember that for as long as it chooses to remain in Pakatan Rakyat, DAP not only has the right but was also duty bound to ensure that PAS did not act in any manner which undermined PR's common policy framework," Gobind said.
Meanwhile, PAS Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said the tabling of the hudud bill should be seen positively as PAS had already consulted its lawyers for any repercussions that may arise later.
"If PAS Kelantan wants to table it in the state assembly, then I don't see anything wrong with that, but it would be a different story if it is a private member bill in Parliament,"Khalid said.
PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said PKR and DAP had asked PAS to provide details of the bill before tabling it.
"This was agreed upon at the Feb 8 Pakatan Rakyat leadership council meeting and the issue was to be discussed again at the next meeting," Nik Nazmi told theSun.
"I also believe that this statement by Gobind will not cause a rift among Pakatan partners if we hold to the concept of consensus before making a decision," he added.