(NST) - DAP Youth leaders yesterday came out strongly in support of party chairman Karpal Singh, who had come under fire from their Pas counterparts, over the hudud issue.
DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) chief Anthony Loke said Pas Youth leaders should not interfere in DAP's internal affairs and refrain from issuing statements about the party's leadership.
He said Terengganu Pas Youth chief Mohd Nor Hamzah had been acting out of line when he urged Karpal to quit politics as he alleged that the DAP veteran's opposition to hudud had become "outdated".
Nor was quoted yesterday as saying that Karpal had become a liability to the opposition alliance and he should resign to allow leaders who could handle issues like hudud to take over his position.
Loke, who is also the Rasah member of parliament, said it was none of Nor's business on who should be the DAP chairman.
"I like to advise Pas Youth to stop politicising hudud by giving statements to the press as this is affecting our Pakatan Rakyat alliance in the eyes of the public."
Loke said the DAP, Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat leadership council had met and decided to "agree to disagree" on hudud and concluded that it was a non-issue.
Johor Dapsy chairman Tan Hong Pin, in supporting Loke, said Pas had no right to get involved with DAP's internal affairs.
"He (Nor) is not doing the right thing. In any organisation, we need a variety of views and opinions from veterans."
Karpal said he would be issuing a statement later today on the issue.
MCA Publicity Bureau chairman Senator Datuk Heng Seai Kie yesterday urged DAP to leave the alliance to protest Pas' insistence on enforcing hudud.
"Since Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has said that the issue of hudud is not negotiable, I challenge DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to announce the Rocket's withdrawal from the coalition," she said.
This, Heng said, would prove to the public that DAP was sincere in preventing the enforcement of hudud.
"Guan Eng's consistent opposition to hudud is unconvincing as it reflects badly on him as he is only attempting to mislead the Chinese community and other non-Muslims."
However, she said MCA had made it clear that if Umno implemented hudud, MCA would withdraw from Barisan Nasional.
"We will not compromise on this issue and have made it clear that we will defend the interests of the Chinese community and the non-Muslims," said Heng, who is also the deputy of women, family and community development minister.
Unlike MCA, she said Lim and DAP were not willing to sacrifice their positions for the sake of the non-Muslims by leaving their alliance with Pas.
Heng added that the non-Muslim leaders in Parti Keadilan Rakyat should not continue to keep quiet and should instead explain their stand on hudud to Pas. She said their silence meant they consented to whatever Pas was doing.
