DAP deputy secretary-general P Ramasamy said that this was not the time to issue such an "irresponsible and immature" remark, when the Permatang Pauh by-election is around the corner.
"If Tian (right) wants to reply to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, he can do so on behalf of PKR, but he has no right to comment on behalf of DAP," the Penang deputy chief minister told Malaysiakini.
"This is not the time to make such comments especially when DAP is fully behind PKR, not when we are facing the full machinery of the BN in Permatang Pauh," he added.
Permatang Pauh goes to the polls on May 7, with early voting fixed for May 3.
The by-election campaign for the parliamentary seat officially kicks off tomorrow.
Ramasamy was responding to Chua's comment in the Malay Mail Online which quoted him as saying both PAS and the DAP are "equally guilty of populism in the hudud issue by using religion and fear respectively in rallying their supporters".
The portal quoted Chua as saying that PKR, on the other hand, "wants to help Muslims understand that there is an alternative to dealing with Quranic obligations over the Islamic penal code, and to persuade non-Muslims not to fear and attack those who genuinely believe that hudud is just and divinely inspired."
He had reportedly told the Malay Mail Online that PKR members are “democrats but not populists”, as populists go on popular sentiment, not principles.
Ramasamy said Chua failed to understand DAP's struggle, which despite all the limitations, has always opposed hudud.
'If DAP is populist, PKR is opportunist'
In 2001, DAP opposed PAS' insistence on the Islamic state and pulled out of Barisan Alternatif opposition coalition, ahead of the Sarawak state elections.
"If DAP is populist, then PKR is opportunist. They say the want to educate Muslims on the alternative to hudud, so what are the programmes?
"If the programmes are good, DAP might want to follow, or else, do not just issue comments just to make a point," he added.
Ramasamy said even PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was not clear about his stand on hudud.
"A wishy washy stand does not make you a democrat," Ramasamy quipped.
On Thursday, Hadi said that DAP and PKR rejected hudud only out of fear of losing electoral support.
The two parties in Pakatan coalition have rejected Hadi's move to table a private member's bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 to enable Kelantan to implement the hudud law.
Following this, DAP severed ties with Hadi (right), and the Permatang Pauh PAS division retaliated by threatening to boycott PKR in the polls.
The Permatang Pauh seat fell vacant when Anwar's family failed to obtain a pardon from the Yang diPertuan Agong for his early release from the Sungai Buloh prison where he is serving a five-year jail term for a sodomy conviction since Feb 10.
When contacted, Chua said he was merely explaining how those who supported and rejected the hudud law were relying on popular sentiments to garner support for views.
"PKR tries to strike a balance between the two camps," he said.
Recognising that there were differences between the allies in Pakatan, he urged all to unite to face the Permatang Pauh polls.
"Focus on issues we agree on like our rejection of the goods and services tax," he added.
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