Deputy Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has accused PAS of being an unprincipled party for retracting a statement on the implementation of hudud law should Pakatan Rakyat form the federal government.
Khairy said this at a ceramah in Kampung Gelugor Raja last night, when telling his side of the story on how he had attended a debate against PAS vice-president Husam Musa and sparked the controversy that has rocked the opposition coalition.
Recalling the debate in Kota Bharu to his audience of about 200 people, Khairy said Husam was asked by the moderator on PAS’ position on hudud law.
"He (Husam) did not answer directly. He said PAS is fighting for hudud because it is an Islamic party. But he said the obstacle to hudud was Umno.
"I waited while he talked and he broached the subject of September 16. That was when I saw my chance. I asked: ‘You (Husam) said earlier that PAS could not implement hudud because of Umno. Would PAS promise to implement hudud if it was the federal government?’"
Khairy said Husam was forced to say "yes" because he was in front of a large home crowd of diehard PAS supporters.
Following this, Khairy explained that Husam was inundated with public criticism from Pakatan allies DAP and was forced to organise a press conference two days later to state that hudud law could only be implemented with DAP’s agreement.
"In front of their supporters they will demand for hudud, but once they are criticised by the DAP, they give up. Is this a principled party? I call this a keluk-kelek (Terengganu dialect for flip flop) party. They are neither here nor there," added Khairy, drawing chuckles from the crowd.
Why KT is special
On the Kuala Terengganu by-election campaign, Khairy said the constituency was once special because it was the only constituency in the country where there were two deputy ministers after the March 2008 general elections.
Barisan candidate Wan Ahmad Farid is the Kuala Terengganu Umno division chief. He recently resigned as deputy internal security minister and senator to contest in the by-election after the death of former Kuala Terengganu MP and Deputy Education Minister Razali Ismail.
"If Wan Farid fails (to retain the seat for Barisan), Kuala Terengganu would be known for once having two deputy ministers and then suddenly none," he said.
Khairy added that Wan Ahmad was virtually guaranteed a of being reappointed as a deputy minister’s should he win and Kuala Terengganu voters would have greater access to federal government allocations.
"But if (PAS candidate Abdul) Wahid Endut wins, he would be just a normal MP, like me - no power, no posts, unable to give aid, if he (Abdul Wahid) asks for funds, surely he would not get them," said Khairy.
He added that Wan Ahmad risked losing his deputy ministership by contesting while Abdul Wahid had nothing to lose as he is the serving his fifth-term as the Wakaf Mempelam assemblyperson.
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