Pakatan’s ‘cake diplomacy’ not so sweet
Recently, PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz presented Catholic Bishop Sebastian Francis with a cake, and soon after DAP's Karpal Singh gave Nik Aziz a birthday cake.
But this 'cake diplomacy' has not brought Karpal Singh or Bishop Francis and their followers any closer together. It is far from a sweet offering.
PAS remains adamant in wanting to impose Hudud laws, should Pakatan come to power in GE-13. But Karpal is dead against it, and so must Bishop Francis. It has always been PAS' policy to apply its brand of Islam to all aspects of government administration.
Make no mistake, not only Muslims will be affected if PAS imposes its brand of Islamic governance. The rest of Malaysians, 40 per cent of whom are non-Muslims, will also be affected, one way or another. Their fundamental freedoms, their current way of life, their social life, their businesses, and their places of work will be impacted in more ways than they realise.
If Nik Aziz thinks presenting a cake to a Christian will placate the Christians over infringement of their freedoms, he should think again. If Nik Aziz thinks receiving a cake from Karpal means the latter will soften his opposition to the imposition of Hudud laws, he should think again, again. These 'diplomatic exchanges' do not reflect any softening of positions.
What's even more worrying is this: How will the PAS-PKR-DAP coalition come to any consensus on the formulation of policies for the benefit of the people? If there is no agreement on even seemingly minor matters, how will they come to terms on major issues?
Their record of cooperation so far has been dismal.
If Nik Aziz's actions and pronouncements so far are anything to go by, then non-Muslims under a Pakatan government will be:
• Subjected to separate queues and separate payment counters in supermarkets
• Face gender segregation in swimming pools
• Denied the right to openly celebrate Valentine's day
• Segregated in hair salons
| Nik Aziz, not my Valentine? |
Of course, Muslims themselves will face further restrictions. Already they are forced to abandon their traditional wayang kulit, and those who are UMNO members continue to be insulted as 'kafirs'.
Nik Aziz has also had a record of saying some dim things about women. Remember what Nik Aziz said about how women would be at a lower risk of being raped if they abandoned their lipstick and perfume?
No amounts of icing on the cake will sugar-coat PAS's extreme measures that Nik Aziz will impose on an unsuspecting public. After all, Pakatan was cobbled together by three parties that are divided by fundamental differences and united, not by their concern for the welfare of the rakyat, but only by their leaders' unquenchable thirst for political power.
teheuj via email
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