No Hadi’s bill if no 1MDB, says Penang CM

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng says Prime Minister Najib Razak had even gone against a campaign promise from GE13 by supporting the amendments to Act 355.

GEORGE TOWN: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill to amend the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or Act 355 would not have seen the light of day in the Dewan Rakyat if there was no 1MDB scandal, says Lim Guan Eng.

The DAP secretary-general said the bill was only pushed forward in Parliament with the support of Umno, because the prime minister had sought to form an alliance with PAS, in order to find some respite from 1MDB.

“If there was no 1MDB, I believe, there will be no RUU355,” he said at a forum titled “1MDB scandal, what’s next?” hosted by the DAP at the Penang Chinese Town Hall, Pitt Street, yesterday.

Hadi had tabled the bill to enhance the powers of the Syariah courts in the last Dewan Rakyat sitting, which ended last month.

However, the debate on the bill was deferred to the next Dewan Rakyat sitting in July.

Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said Najib had even gone against a campaign promise in the 2013 election by supporting the amendments to Act 355.

“Out of his (Najib) sheer desperation to seek partners, to save himself, he is willing to forsake the Federal Constitution.

“He is willing to give up a basic policy of his party, by working with PAS for RUU355.

“I am sure we know this is against the Federal Constitution, and yet he is allowing this to be passed by ordinary legislation,” said Lim, who is Bagan MP.

“And that is why you can see the strains that are being imposed not only on our economy but also on our political order and system. All because of 1MDB,” Lim added.

He said it was also disappointing PAS did not take a “strong stance” on 1MDB.

“What’s worse is that when you talk about 1MDB, they (PAS) revert back to Islamic law and say must have four witnesses,” Lim said. -FMT