"It is academic to keep talking about Islamic State" - Dr. Dzulkifli

"So it is academic to keep talking about it. I don't know why other PAS leaders keep on talking about, it (sic) to find themselves getting bashed by others," he said. (Malaysiakini, Sept 16)

I think that is by far the most strongest critic of the Islamic state agenda coming from a PAS national leader. And if I understand it well, Kuala Selangor MP and PAS Central Committee member Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad has basically trashed off his party's ultimate political agenda - or Utopia according to him - of establishing an Islamic state. Reading his statement made at a seminar at UCSI University is like imagining listening to some UMNO politician challenging the special position of Malays/Article 153 Federal Constitution or some DAP chap criticising its age-old political mantra of "Malaysian Malaysia".

Dr Dzulkifli added that, "..it (Islamic state) may be our life-long aspiration. But by looking at our demographics, it is only academic to us... We cannot simply push it aside, so it remains as a utopian dream."

So would it be safe to assume now that PAS has abandoned its Islamic state agenda and using Islam, Hudud, shariah merely for political gains? In all honesty I doubt Dr Dzul would have said the same thing if he were to speak in front of a Malay majority PAS members.

I have long come to conclusion that PAS's version of Islamic state or Hudud is purely rhetoric. Dr Dzul reminds me of PAS President, Hadi Awang. When Hadi was the Terengganu Mentri Besar (1999-2004), he once said that the implementation of Hudud is only 0.0001% of Shariah laws. Now ask yourself, where is their sincerity? Please do not misconstrued my comments as an attempt to question PAS's political agenda. That is not my business. But, if they're openly admitting that implementing Hudud or Islamic laws is just academic or Utopian dream, then isn't it hypocritical for them PAS leaders to continue misleading the public especially the rural folks about Islamic this and that and accusing the UMNO led BN Government as unIslamic for whatever reasons? If that is not hypocritical, then I don't know what is.

If you want to talk about realpolitik or political numbers as argued by Dr Dzul, then yes, it's just unrealistic. There is nothing wrong with admitting that. But please, go and tell your members and your supporters the same thing. :) As a matter of fact, UMNO has long realised the impracticality of implementing such laws in a plural society like ours.

For some unknown reasons the following news was not (or not yet) covered in Malaysiakini's Bahasa Malaysia edition. Hmm, I wonder why. Malaysiakini might have their own reasons, but in the absence of explanation and reason, perception rules over reality, if you get what I mean. :)

[image source: Malaysiakini.com]