KUALA LUMPUR, 22 Dec 2008: PAS is seen to be intentionally raising outdated issues when it brought up the question of implementation of “hudud” laws with the impending Kuala Terengganu by-election on 17 Jan, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.
He said the implementation of hudud laws was often brought up during elections but so far nothing has been done by PAS to fulfil its political slogan.
“This is an old story … it is nothing new. They have not implemented the hudud laws in Kelantan and Terengganu but at every election they raise it as an issue,” he said.
Najib was commenting on the statement on 20 Dec by PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa that PAS would implement the hudud laws if the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, of which it is one of the three member parties, came to power at the federal level.
Questioning the actual agenda of the party, Najib asked why the hudud issue was not included in the party’s manifesto of the 12th general election last March when the party championed for a welfare state instead.
“But now it looks like PAS leaders are talking of implementing the hudud laws. This is a question of credibility. They are turning it into a political issue,” he said.
The Kuala Terengganu by-election is being held following the death of the member of parliament, Datuk Razali Ismail, who was deputy education minister.
The Barisan Nasional has named Deputy Home Minister Senator Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as its candidate for the by-election. PAS is scheduled to announce its candidate on 1 Jan.
Nomination for the by-election is on 6 Jan. — Bernama
