KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 ― Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB), the precursor for a new party by PAS’s progressive faction, has defended the right to push for hudud law in the country, but says it will not be its main priority for the time being as the main focus should be on rebuilding a “vibrant democracy” in Malaysia.
GHB secretary-general Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad stressed while that hudud has a critical role to play it cannot be deliberated or considered before a good, transparent government is in place.
“While hudud has its critical role in the entire setup of an Islamic society, its position is likened by lslamic jurists or Fuqaha to be that of a ‘gate’ that safeguards and protects the security of the house.
“In the same vein and extending that analogy, our urgent priority is to put the ruined house in order first,” he told Malay Mail Online.
The focus for GHB would be first to push for good governance based on Islamic imperatives of accountability (Al-Amanah) competency (Al-Itqan), and transparency (Al-Shafafiyah Al-Hukumah).
“Our work at reinstating critical institutions so as to be effective in delivering the imperative of a check and balance of the government, be put in place first…”Principle of Tadaafuq”.This must come and takes precedence over other important things like the.penal code,” Dzulkefly explained.
But the former PAS research director also said that GHB would do its best to “convince” its allies to give the Islamic penal code a chance- not only because it is God’s command but because there were convincing comparative global evidences to show that some aspects of hudud are more effective in addressing and reducing crimes like theft and robbery.
“More importantly, I again stress, we will do it through the democratic and legislative means.
“Yes you may disagree and oppose us, tooth and nail, but you must allow our right to advocate it. Perchance, by then you might want to support us through both the democratic and legislative process,” Dzulkefly said, referring to those who opposed hudud.
He said that those who keep insisting that Malaysia is a secular nation just as “overzealous” as some Muslims to deny others the right to debate the issue of hudud,
“Both these extreme opinions, in my opinion, if allowed to flourish, will end us in an endless bickering-polemic and worse, a war.
“This is surely not the way to ‘sharing the nation’ and most certainly not helpful in endearing moderation in a ‘Middle Malaysia’,” Dzulkefly added.
PAS’s renewed hudud push has, however, strained ties within PR and has pitted the Islamist party against allies DAP and PKR and reached a crisis point when PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang tabled a private member’s bill to allow hudud to be implemented in Kelantan.
Shortly after that, PAS decided during its June 6 muktamar to cut ties with the DAP.
The decision later led to the DAP declaring PR’s death as a coalition.
– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/are-pas-progressives-for-hudud-yes-but-only-after-malaysia-returns-to-a-vib#sthash.iquGRkru.dpuf