(May 27): DAP today said it will not stop questioning PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang or be cowed into silence, pointing out that the party had never meddled in another political party's affairs.

Its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said DAP will not be stopped from speaking up for the truth and defending right from wrong, regardless whether such action will be seen as benefiting Hadi or otherwise.

He said even though Hadi had declared that he was "still in Pakatan Rakyat", the PAS leader needed to answer for his actions over the past year.

"Why did he break PAS commitments to the PR common manifesto and his personal promise to consult with PR leaders?

"Why did he express support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the midst of the RM42 billion 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) scandal?

"Why does he want to form a unity government with Umno," Lim said in a statement today.

He also asked why Hadi refused to voice his support for PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who contested as PR's candidate in the recent Permatang Pauh by-election and targeted only DAP in the objections against PAS's hudud agenda.

"Why did he declare that it is an obligation for Muslims to be angry with the DAP for opposing hudud laws? He did not mention other Muslims, non-Muslims, Sabahans and Sarawakians, who had also opposed hudud law.

"Opposition to hudud law is based on it being unconstitional, not because hudud is part of Islam. It is because hudud is contrary to the Federal Constitution," Lim said.

He said Hadi’s pronouncements were not consistent in terms of loyalty and support for the opposition coalition and questioned how DAP could cooperate with the Islamist party president, who is seeking a reelection, on the basis of mutual trust and respect if the latter could not keep his promises.

"Hadi is assured of victory and does not need any outside help from winning the PAS presidency. For this reason, DAP top leaders at the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting on Monday reiterated the party's readiness to face all possible future scenarios for PR," he said, foreseeing a split in the alliance.

Meanwhile, Lim also hit out at PAS senior leaders, who had avoided answering DAP's five questions and instead tried to blame DAP for a break-up in PR.

"Some PAS leaders have attacked DAP more viciously than they have attacked Umno. However, DAP must be consistent in our principles by asking the same five questions, not only after the PAS Muktamar but before as well."

Ties between DAP and PAS had been going downhill since last year over the Selangor menteri besar issue when Hadi refused to endorse the PR choice for the role, Dr Wan Azizah, even though the three parties had initially agreed on the candidate.

Relations soured further earlier this year when PAS made a push for its hudud agenda by tabling and passing the hudud bill to amend the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code II Enactment at the state legislative assembly in March.

Hadi tabling a Private Member's Bill in the Dewan Rakyat in an attempt to amend the Shariah Courts Act to allow hudud punishments to be carried out by Shariah courts in Kelantan during the last sitting, continued to make matters worse between the two parties, which had always been at odds over PAS's hudud and Islamic state ambitions.

Hadi's bill is expected to be debated in the current sitting while there is also a concern that Hadi and his cleric faction would openly announce a break-away from DAP in the PAS annual general meeting next month.

The fate of the PR coalition now depends on the outcome of the PAS elections. – The Malaysian Insider