AI: Hudud not ideal in Malaysia

PAS must explain how justice will be dispensed and how it will legally enforce hudud laws.

GEORGE TOWN: Forget about implementing hudud laws. Apply instead laws based on international human rights standards instead, insisted an international human rights watchdog, Amnesty International yesterday.

AI executive director Nora Murat noted that hudud laws were not ideal, inapplicable and irrelevant in today’s rapidly globalising liberal world.

The Malaysian human rights proponent has no doubt that the implementation of hudud law would be a step backward, not forward, for the Malaysian civil society.

She suggested that it was indeed time to reinvent and reform the country laws into international class uniformed legislations accepted by all.

She insisted that one should drop the idea of hudud and focus on implementing laws based on universal concept of human rights values.

She called on Malaysians to move on with the times and to keep abreast with the fast developing globalisation concept emphasising on a more liberal, equal, fair and just civil society.

“The punishment like chopping off legs and hands are degrading and inhumane.

“We surely can’t practice that now,” Nora told FMT.

She was commenting on Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s statement last week that his government intended to implement hudud laws in the east-coast state.

Rhetorics slammed

Anwar, the de facto leader of PKR, which forms the backbone of Pakatan, said he believed in the principle that Islamic laws could be implemented in Kelantan.

“Looking at specific areas, there is clear guarantee of an administration of justice and it does not in any way infringe on the rights of non-Muslims,” said the opposition leader.

Anwar then added that it was his personal opinion.

Anwar and PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz came under fire from Pakatan Rakyat ally, DAP and many non-Muslims, especially in the cyber space, for their political stand.

Nora chided political parties which capitalised on religious rhetoric to gain political mileage.

“Religion shall never be politicised.

“It shall never be used as tool to fish votes,” cautioned Nora, a lawyer by profession.

Nora noted that hudud laws have failed to create a ‘just and fair society and system of justice’ in several countries including places such as Nigeria.

Due to the hudud fiasco, she said the Nigerian government was now facing a strong people’s movement determined to free the country from Islamic laws.

PAS must be transparent

However, she welcomed Nik Aziz and Anwar for openly supporting hudud laws now than later, after the general election.

“At least they are open and frank about their intentions.

“They did not hide their agenda to implement it after the election,” she said

She pointed out that PAS should have been more transparent on its Islamic agenda by disclosing publicly the whole system of hudud laws that it planned to implement.

She noted that implementation of hudud laws and its justice system differed among and within Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iran.

As such, she said PAS should explain and reveal its plans for the legal enforcement of such laws.

It should also explain what the court structure would be and how the administration of justice would be like under the hudud laws.

“PAS should disclose on whether it would allow democratic space to question hudud laws and verdicts perceived unfair and unjust, like in civil laws,” Nora insisted.