YOURSAY 'Is Raja Ahmad playing the Umno game of hitting at others using race and religion, and gain support from its hardcore members?'

PAS Youth insists Karpal apologises within five days

Ferdtan: PAS Youth is trying to play the anti-DAP game. These leaders belong to the ulama faction. Umno's Utusan Malaysia has already voiced support for the ulama candidates in the run-up to the party election later this week.

Umno is playing a divisive game in PAS by supporting the ulama faction against the progressive faction.

PAS Youth vice-president Raja Ahmad Iskandar Raja Yaacob said PAS Youth would raise the matter involving DAP chairperson Karpal Singh with the party's syura council for further action. Why the syura council?

This is a political question and does not concern religious issues that the syura council is responsible for. Why not the central committee of the party proper? This youth leader is bypassing the proper channel, i.e. the central supreme council, by going to the ulama-controlled council.

Is he is playing the Umno game of hitting at others using race and religion, and gain support from its hardcore members?

If the ulama faction loves Umno so much, then go and join them. Don't be hypocrites. They seem only to attack their allies in Pakatan Rakyat and not their political enemy, Umno.

We call upon the PAS delegates to choose wisely in the coming election. It is simple - either you want PAS to be pro-Pakatan or pro-Umno? Your choice.

ACR: Now what did DAP chairperson Karpal Singh say? That political parties and professional bodies whose criteria for membership was race- or religion-based should be de-registered and not allowed to be registered in the first place.

In his line of fire was the MLA (Muslim Lawyers Association), but he went on the state that all other political and professional bodies that operate along religious or racial lines should also be de-registered.

"Such organisations operating along religious and racial lines are dangerous for a multiracial society and a threat to unity," he said.

"Unfortunately, this includes PAS but they have taken the first step by setting up a unit for non-Muslim supporters," he said.

So he did qualify his statement on PAS. What is the issue?

Seadragon: I suggest Karpal speaks plain and simple language so that even a child can understand. Obviously these PAS leaders don't understand complex English.

They only understand a sentence but not the paragraph. Or it could be just DAP-bashing again as it is PAS' election time, just like Umno's.

Comments: It is better for all parties, including PAS, to focus on the principle in Karpal's speech than cherry-pick on polemics.

Only when bankrupt of creative intelligence, would one resort to polemics. Something like that is emerging in PAS.

Banzai: In the first place, why did PAS feel so hurt? Is it saying that it's a racist party or an Islamic party? PAS should not get confused. What Karpal meant was racist parties and not religious parties.

Get that PAS? I believe you have other races in your party. So please don't get worked up and stir the hornet's nest.

Onyourtoes: I don't know, this whole episode looks like PAS is trying to be more Umno or Perkasa, and DAP is abetting it.

But for me, it does not matter whether PAS has units made up of non-Muslim supporters or not, the party is incapable of leading multiracial and multireligious Malaysia in its present form. The party is also populated by too many archaic people.

Don't get me wrong, I will be the first one to criticise DAP if chauvinism creeps in. DAP with its overwhelming Chinese membership, is a separate issue.

PAS should not get it wrong. A party with a large majority from one race is different from a party that precludes others.

YF: PAS never learns. If you want to lose the support of the rakyat just say so. They only voted for you because of your link to Pakatan.

But if you want to ‘lagak sombong' (display arrogance) like how you lost Terengganu and Kedah, then so be it. People are fed up of your flip-flop attitude.

Basically: These PAS Youth leaders are either showing off to be at their best in the coming party elections, or being plain naive and silly to play into Umno's hands again, in spinning this situation.

Karpal has already explained what he meant, it is clear as day he was talking about BN and commenting on multiculturalism.

Although you can argue he could also be talking about PAS, the bigger picture is (a) Karpal is right on the basic principle. He also said PAS' non-Muslim wing shows this, and (b) he didn't ask for PAS to be deregistered per se, that's just spin.

Didn't Islam/God say something about 'pride' as one of the seven deadly sins? Where are your Islamic values, PAS?

Mohd: As a supporter of PAS-Pakatan, I would also like to see the video. If it's true, then Karpal should apologise and if it is otherwise, then Raja Ahmad must apologise.

The apology is for the lie that either one of them has made. On the issue raised by Karpal, I believe everyone has their own take on it.

Anonymous_3ee4: Good for you, Karpal. Like you said, Raja Ahmad should be man enough to produce the entire transcript instead of picking on bits and pieces to suit his fancy.

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