Hudud is it a storm in the teacup or tempest waiting to uproot Pakatan

There they go again, the calculated statement from the political maverick Mahathir regarding the Hudud has shaken the ‘matrimonial peace’ of the tri party Pakatan, and pushed them into a delirium. The simple statement of Dr.Mahathir responding to Tok Guru Nick Aziz regarding the high incidence of Aids cases in Kelantan blaming Mahathir of not allowing the State of Kelantan to implement the Sharia jurisprudence and solving their unhealthy health condition; and Mahathir’s cunning challenge to NIK  AzIz is enough  to throw astray,all confident building of Pas and Pakatan. The insistence and adamancy of Tok Guru Nik Aziz and DAP’s vehement opposition to the implementation of the Islamic jurisprudence has jolted their honeymoon. Umno has hatched a perfect ploy to derail the solidarity which was preserved by Pakatan Rakyat with utmost care after the March 2008 General Election. To quote academician Dr. Farish Noor “True though that may be, the fact is that PAS fell into the trap hook, line and sinker; and that as a result the deep ideological cleavages between PAS, PKR and DAP have come to the foreground once again.”

The hudud law once again stole the limelight, hijacking and derailing the issues which are of utmost importance, like the widespread corruption of BN, the Mas Air Asia debacle, the inclusion of illegal’s in the electoral role, the Mat Sabu’s revelation of historical realities, and all the internal bickering and trouble in Umno.The trust and confidence of the people and the aspirations of Pakatan Rakyat has been jolted. The new dawn in sending Umno and Barisan National to the gutter of political oblivion has been jeopardized. When everything is on the right path to give Barisan Nasional another jolt in the next General Election and its now back to square one!

Pakatan in general and PAS specifically, must think that going back to the laws and jurisprudence of the 7^th century religious laws would not take it to distance in realizing a new government free from the feudalistic, fascist and harmonistic Umno.The action in submitting to their religious fervor is akin to throwing fodder to Umno to demonize Pas and Pakatan Rakyat.

Pakatan must come to their senses if they are serious in their wanting to provide an alternative government. Rather than building the momentum of support for Pakatan, PAS with its unwanted religious rhetoric has shot on its leg, indirectly helping UMNO to despise and disparage Pakatan.

 Throughout history, whenever PAS went to religious extremism it has been trounced in elections. The aftermath of the Memali tragedy in 1985 PAS lost miserably in 1986 General Election, won only one Parliamentary seat. And in 1995 election it lost badly because of the Amanat Haji Hadi and kafir mengkafir (the accusation of fellow Muslims who are not of PAS as infidels).Hope PAS would not be trapped in the quagmire of their own making and sink their compatriots and partners together with them this time. The country’s constitution with its multi ethnic population must be of paramount importance rather than, to betray the trust of people who have only have Pakatan to lead and bring the desired change to send Umno to retirement.   Rather than confronting the UMNO which is now in the weakest form and win, it’s sad to see Pakatan is being drawn to their downfall with their theocratic philosophies.