Hadi worried about Chinese groups’ voter drive

BAKRI: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has expressed concern over reports that 134 Chinese civil society groups are encouraging members of the community to return home to vote in the Johor state election.

He said the effort could affect the political influence of Muslims if Malay voters failed to fulfil their civic duty by casting their ballots this Saturday.

“I am concerned after reading media reports that 134 Chinese organisations are mobilising the Chinese community to return and vote, while many Malays are not turning out.

“Some are even skipping the election because they are performing the umrah pilgrimage,” he said after Perikatan Nasional’s grand finale ceramah event in Simpang Jeram.

Media reports said yesterday that the Chinese organisations, including Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, had issued a joint statement urging Johor and Negeri Sembilan voters to return home to cast their ballots.

Hadi also called on non-Muslims whom he described as “non-extremists” to join the coalition’s political struggle.

He recalled PAS’s previous cooperation with DAP and PKR, saying the alliance was forged on shared opposition to corruption, abuse of power, the Internal Security Act and several federal government policies at the time.

However, he said PAS parted ways with DAP after the party allegedly asked PAS to abandon its agenda to establish an Islamic state.

“When DAP asked PAS to set aside its struggle to establish an Islamic state and stop speaking about it, that was something we could not accept.

“When we sought to curb alcohol and gambling in Kelantan, DAP objected. Yet the Federal Constitution clearly states that Islamic law applies only to Muslims, while non-Muslims are not subject to it,” he said.