Baru: Hadi’s statement on two-tier cabinet system misplaced in a democratic Malaysia

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Baru Bian

KUCHING: Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s statement on his two-tier cabinet system is misplaced in a democratic Malaysia, said state Parti Keadilan Rakyat chairman Baru Bian.

“His statement appears to bring in his theocratic ideology into a secular Malaysia which is based on a Constitution, the supreme law of the land and which has clearly provided for the composition and set-up of the three main organs of the government for check and balance i.e. the executive, legislative and judiciary. It appears that his two-tier cabinet system implies that non-Muslims are not good and wise enough to think through good policies for the nation. This is absolutely an insult to the intelligence of the non-Muslims in this country. This is absolutely absurd and unacceptable to any right thinking Malaysian,” he said yesterday.

Baru, who is Ba Kelalan assemblyman, was responding to Hadi’s statement where he was reported by an online news portal as saying that there would be two cabinets should the Islamist party come into power.

“If PAS rules, it (the administration) will be divided into two. One (is) a cabinet that decides on national policies. This must consist of people who adopt the national ideology and faith.

“This cabinet will appoint an executive cabinet to carry out the policies and the members can be non-Muslims, appointed based on their expertise,” Hadi, who is Marang MP, was quoted as saying during a speech at the opening of PAS’ dialogue with Indian NGOs in Kepala Batas, Penang, yesterday.

According to Hadi, the second group would be the technocrats who carry out government policies, and the technocrats can be from Parliament or the private sector.

Hadi said although Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country, Islam allows for non-Muslims to be in the cabinet.

“This is different from western democracy where if the Democrats win the elections, the cabinet and government officers are only Democrats; the same with Conservative, Republican or Labour party governments.