Can DAP help to win over votes for PAS in Kuala Terengganu by-election?

It’s well known fact that DAP and PAS have been in loggerheads over their respective stand on both the formation of Islamic state and hudud laws.


Despite conflicting views on the Islamic state issue and hudud laws, DAP's national chairperson Karpal Singh said DAP will continue to support PAS, especially by campaigning for the party in Kuala Terengganu.

PAS vice-president Husam Musa’s comments about Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) will implement hudud laws if the Pakatan Rakyat coalition takes over the administration of the country in a general election having caught DAP out of doors.

Husam Musa

Clearly, DAP continues to be caught by the same unresolved dilemma. The issue has created tension in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition especially between PAS and DAP.

On the contrary, Gerakan called on all Malaysians to stand united in opposing PAS' vision of turning Malaysia into a theocratic state.

MCA - the biggest Chinese-based party in the country - too was vocal in objecting PAS' Islamic agenda.

MCA's Federal Territories Youth wing departed from the norm by marching over to the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to hand in a memorandum opposing the hudud stand.

The youth wing also unfurled banners by the roadside to express its displeasure with PAS' stand.

DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang took to task PAS vice-president Husam Musa for reiterating PAS' plan to implement Islamic hudud laws if the party succeeded in taking over the federal government following a general election.

Lim said Husam must explain his statement to address the unease it would create among the non-Muslims in Kuala Terengganu.

"If unclarified, Husam's statement would create unease, anxiety and opposition not only among the 11 % of the Chinese voters in the critical Kuala Terengganu by-election on Jan 17 but also among both Malay and non-Malay voters whether in Terengganu or the rest of Malaysia," he said.

PAS faces an uphill battle to win over non-Muslim voters in Kuala Terengganu by-election. Can DAP help to win over votes for PAS is the most interesting political issue that we haven't seen before and eagerly awaiting an answer.