MALAYSIA A STEP AWAY FROM HUDUD: HADI’S BILL 4TH ITEM ON AGENDA AT NEXT WEEK’S PARLIAMENT

KUALA LUMPUR – PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s Bill to enhance the powers of the Shariah Court is listed in the Order Papers for the next Parliament meeting beginning Monday.

The Bill is the fourth item on the agenda for the day, according to a copy of the Order Paper sighted by Malay Mail Online.

Hadi managed to table his Bill in the May sitting after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said submitted a motion to elevate the item, then 42nd and last in the final day’s order, above the government’s motions.

The Islamist party president elected, however, to defer the tabling to this meeting when given the option to do so by Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.

Hadi’s Bill has also been called the “Hudud Bill” owing to belief that it will pave way for the enforcement of the Islamic penal law in states such as Terengganu and Kelantan where such legislation exist but remain dormant due to constitutional barriers to their implementation.

It seeks to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act, also known as Act 355, to empower Islamic courts to enforce punishments ― except for the death penalty ― provided in Shariah laws for Islamic offences listed under state jurisdiction in the Federal Constitution.

Shariah court punishments are currently limited to jail terms not exceeding three years, whipping of not more than six strokes, or fines of not more than RM5,000.

– Malay Mail