Gerakan dares DAP to state stand over Kedah’s latest fatwa
Koh asked today, “Why is Lim Guan Eng silent as a lamb?”. — file picKUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon today challenged his DAP political foe to state his party’s stand on Kedah’s latest ruling blocking any challenge to its religious edicts (fatwa).
“DAP always emphasise on democracy and need for judicial review. Why is DAP quiet now?” the Gerakan president said in a press conference today.
“Why is Lim Guan Eng silent as a lamb?” Koh pressed, gunning specifically for the DAP secretary-general and the man who replaced him after 13 years as Penang chief minister in the 2008 elections.
On April 17, the Kedah state legislative assembly passed into law a Bill that makes it an offence for anyone to question any religious edict made by the state mufti or fatwa council.
The controversial decision has caused an uproar among various groups, including the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties.
Koh pointed out that the PAS-led northern state was also part of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) federal opposition bloc.
Koh also asked if Lim will take action against DAP’s Kedah executive councillor who was reported to have supported the Bill in the Kedah assembly.
The minister in charge of national unity and promoting religious understanding said that non-Muslims have a lot to be concerned about and to fear over an Islamic theocratic state.
“We are worried about the rights of non-Muslims,” he said.
Koh said the Kedah Gerakan chief had already explained that the state’s opposition BN coalition does not agree with the majority in the state legislative assembly.
Koh also said the party’s candidate list would be submitted to BN president Datuk Seri Najib Razak on April 30.
He kept mum, however, when asked to clarify rumours that its Chinese senior BN partner, MCA, is poised to take over Gerakan’s traditionally held seats in the next general election touted to be held in the next few months.
“Wait and see,” was Koh’s only comment when asked.
He added he preferred not to reveal much about the candidate list, except that it has been confirmed for the most part and that there will be the usual mix of old and new faces.
On whether the party will allocate more resources to Penang, he said that resources will be distributed strategically nationwide.
