Hudud an issue because Najib is weak, says Dr Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said the reason PAS was making the implementation of hudud an issue was because of the weaknesses displayed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The former prime minister said that PAS never played up the hudud issue when he was in office as the government then was strong.
"Maybe PAS thinks the current government needs support, because during my time, we held absolute power with the two-thirds majority," Dr Mahathir said today.
PAS is attempting to implement hudud in Kelantan because they want to be popular and win votes, Dr Mahathir said.
"PAS is doing this just to gain political mileage, it is not about Islam," he said.
"If PAS goes ahead with their plan to implement hudud in Kelantan, Muslims will call it ‘Islamic’ and support the party."
He said the hudud issue was simply about becoming popular because Malaysia was a democratic country, popularity will win a party votes.
Dr Mahathir said his stand on hudud had never changed, even though he was no longer in office.
"There is no justice if hudud is implemented because the hands of a Muslim thief are cut while a non-Muslim spends two months in prison.
"Is that justice? If it is not justice, then it is not Islamic," Dr Mahathir said.
He said he had written a letter to PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat with an explanation that was based on Islam.
"My letter was not based on any secular issues or anything else. It was simply based on Islam.
"The Quran stresses that when a punishment is meted out, it must be fair and just.
"In Malaysia, there will be no justice if hudud is implemented because it is only applicable to Muslims, and exempts non-Muslims."
Dr Mahathir was speaking to reporters at the Institute Diplomacy and Foreign Relations along Jalan Wisma Putra today.
He was officiating the launch of a book written by Malaysia's former permanent representative to the United Nations, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, entitled “A UN Chronicle”.
Ever since Kelantan Menteri Datuk Ahmad Yakob had announced a private member's bill which allowed the state to enforce shariah law, there was fierce opposition.
DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke urged PAS to leave Pakatan Rakyat if it goes through with its plans to enforce hudud in Kelantan.
Najib reportedly said that the time was not right for Malaysia to have hudud.
PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar had appealed to all parties to respect the democratic right of the Islamic party to present the private member's bill.
"Irrespective of whether other parties supported or opposed PAS's hudud plans, they should still respect the party's democratic right to raise the issue in Parliament," he said.
"If the democratic process is not in favour of PAS, we will abide and are prepared to accept whatever decision," Mahfuz said. – April 30, 2014.