Samy Vellu and Khairy contradicts each other

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Karpal Singh, who has been vocal on the Islamic state issue and hudud laws, appeared to have “surrendered to PAS”. [The Star, 29/12/08]

KUALA LUMPUR: Pas is being forced to bow to the DAP on the hudud issue, deputy Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said. [NST, 23/12/08]


Barisan Nasional leaders are exploiting any opportunity to derail any chances of Pakatan Rakyat seizing the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat by January 17. The Opposition's credibility to rule has been duly doubted when PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa said his party will implement the Islamic hudud laws when the Pakatan Rakyat takes control of the government. DAP and other Barisan Nasional leaders, in response have publicly rebuked Husam.

The PAS vice-president then made a 'U-turn' in a statement where he assured his Pakatan Rakyat colleagues and the Malaysian public that hudud laws would unlikely be implemented as it requires the consent of all political parties in the Opposition coalition.

All component parties of the Pakatan Rakyat have since re-pledge their support for PAS as they battle for Kuala Terengganu come January 17. Pakatan Rakyat's candidate for the by-election would come from the PAS.

Click here to read the previous article on this issue.

Husam's rash comments were interpreted as a sign of weakness within the Pakatan Rakyat hegemony - something which Barisan Nasional leaders could capitalise on. However, some responses given by key figures of the ruling coalition were somewhat contradictory.
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Claim #1: PAS surrendered to DAP

One notable figure in the ruling coalition to have gone public over the issue was the Prime Minister's son-in-law and deputy UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin. In his blog, he described PAS as “appearing to be brave and in high spirits” during the campaign but was now “listlessly bowing down to the intimidation of DAP”.

“It has not even been two days since Datuk Husam loudly guaranteed his supporters that hudud will be implemented if Pakatan Rakyat took federal power. And now he has surrendered.” Khairy told reporters. [The Malaysian Insider, 23/12/08]

Claim #2: DAP surrendered to PAS

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu criticised DAP chairman and Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh; calling him a 'toothless' tiger for pledging his party's support for PAS in the Kuala Terengganu by-election. Samy Vellu said Karpal Singh, who has been vocal on the Islamic state issue and hudud laws, appeared to have “surrendered to PAS”.

“The tiger (Karpal Singh) appears to have surrendered to PAS. He should be consistent with his stand (on the hudud laws) and not become a puppet of Pas. This (the agreement to work together to win the seat) indicates that he (Karpal Singh) and his party (DAP) will give in and abandon their principles for the sake of ensuring a victory for the opposition candidate,” the MIC president said. [The Malaysian Insider, 28/12/08]

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The obvious contradiction both Khairy and Samy Vellu expressed in their criticism towards the Opposition shows that Barisan Nasional were merely playing a political word game to exploit the situation to their favour.

If the same principle applies, would it then be safe to say that UMNO had also once 'surrendered' to MCA who pressured UMNO to discipline a certain Ahmad Ismail for his racist slurs against the Malaysian Chinese community?

...or had MIC also 'surrendered' to UMNO at one point of time for their silence over the mass demolitions of Hindu shrines and temples in Selangor?

...or did MCA 'surrendered' to UMNO for not publicly standing up against the slandering threats of another May 13 racial clash by keris-welding UMNO members?

So, the question that begs to be answered is: Who has surrendered to who?