By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — The MCA has threatened to leave Barisan Nasional (BN) should Umno allow a state assemblyman’s proposal for hudud to be implemented in Johor for all races.
Umno’s Kemelah state assemblyman Ayub Rahmat was quoted by online news portal Malaysiakini as saying he wished to see Johor become the first state to implement “true hudud law”, which he claimed would differ from PAS’ interpretation.
Ayub said his interpretation of hudud law would be non-discriminatory as the adherents of all religions would be subjected to it in Johor.
“MCA is very clear. We have stated clearly if hudud is implemented we will come out of BN,” MCA Young Professionals Bureau Chairman Datuk Chua Tee Yong told reporters today.
But he appeared to play down Ayub’s statement, saying they were only the remarks of an Umno state lawmaker, “not the prime minister or his deputy.”
“There is no weight in this statement.
“Statement that carry weight are ones made by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and (spiritual advisor) (Datuk) Nik Abdul Aziz (Nik Mat)...they have mentioned their support for hudud on numerous occasions.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has said that his party will never agree to any implementation of hudud for non-Muslims after Ayub’s proposal came to light.
“The Johor Umno Adun must have run out of ideas and out of his mind 2 propose hudud in Johor including non-Muslims. MCA will definitely object it,” Dr Chua said on micro-blogging site Twitter last night.
The Umno assemblyman, who made the proposal at the June 20 sitting of the Johor state assembly, said his proposal would help non-Muslims understand the implementation of hudud law, while accusing PAS of failing to do so.
Hudud remains a contentious issue in multicultural and multi-religious Malaysia. It is often used as fodder by political parties either to engender support or attack ideological opponents.