Hadi's Act 355 motion will resurface, says law minister

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's motion to compel the Dewan Rakyat to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) will eventually resurface, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong today.

However, it is unlikely the House will see this during the current sitting, he added.

"It will come back. And there are so many ministries that want to have bills repealed, amended or have new laws introduced.

"We are still gathering information from them," Liew, who is in charge of law affairs, told reporters at the Parliament lobby today after the opening of the 14th Parliament session.

He added the total number of bills that will be tabled during this parliamentary session will only be confirmed tomorrow.

At present, Liew said he was only aware of only two bills that would be debated - one to abolish the Goods and Services Act 1994 and another to introduce the incoming sales and service tax.

These bills will be tabled after the debate on the motion of appreciation for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's speech which will be delivered tomorrow.

The previous BN administration had on three occasions previously allowed Abdul Hadi to table a private member's bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.

On the third occasion in April last year, the House allocated time for the motion to be seconded and said it would debated during the next session.

Hudud law fear

Hadi seeks to raise the punishment cap for syariah offences to 30 years' jail a RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the cane.

The current maximum punishment under syariah law is three years' imprisonment, a RM5,000 fine and six strokes of the cane.

Critics say that Hadi's bill is a prelude to the implementation of hudud law.

Some states such as PAS-ruled Kelantan already have laws which prescribe hudud penalties such as amputations along with death by stoning.

However, they cannot be implemented unless federal laws are first amended as what Act 355 seeks to do. - Mkini