PAS SHOULD LEARN FROM KEDAH ENTERTAINMENT BAN FIASCO THAT EXTREME POLICIES NOT WELCOME IN OUR MODERATE COUNTRY

I refer to the recent decision by Kedah PAS government to ban entertainment outlets in Kedah during the month of Ramadhan.

I would like to congratulate the announcement by PAS President Dato Seri Abdul Hadi Awang that their government in Kedah would revoke their earlier plans to ban entertainment outlets during the month of Ramadhan.

Undoubtedly, the earlier decision taken by Kedah PAS government would have been a serious infringement of the fundamental rights of non-Muslim in Kedah. It would also have caused severe damage to the tourism industry in Kedah, especially in Langkawi.

The indecisiveness of PAS over the past week in revoking such unfair policies against non-Muslim in Kedah had certainly caused irreversible damage to the confidence of the business community, in particular those in the entertainment and tourism industry.

As such, it is hope that PAS would learn from the recent fiasco that any of their extreme policies are not welcome in any part of our country.

PAS should learn to adapt and be part of our moderate country that has been free of extremism.

In line with today’s decision, Kedah Gerakan Youth hope that Dato Seri Abdul Hadi Awang would ensure that their PAS government in Kedah would pass the requisite decision in the upcoming State Executive Council (Exco) meeting this Wednesday to revoke their earlier plans to ban entertainment outlets during Ramadhan month.

The decision in Kedah Exco should also lay down clearly all the conditions that the state wishes to impose on the entertainment outlets during Ramadhan month so as to avoid any ambiguity and confusion.