Liow and Mah threaten to resign as ministers if Hudud Bill passed

MCA president Liow Tiong Lai and Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong have threatened to resign from the Cabinet if the Hudud Bill is passed.

This was after the government, without consultation with BN component parties, supported the tabling of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's Private Member's Bill in Parliament.

Liow is the Transport Minister while Mah is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

"I'm trying to stop it, I'm trying to get all the (BN) component parties to stop it.

"I am urging both sides of the political divide to come together and stop this Bill.

"So if we cannot do it, we will have to sacrifice. I will resign.

"No point (if) I stay on anymore, you know. I have to be very firm on this one," he was quoted as saying by The Star.

Meanwhile, Mah said that Gerakan too will do everything in its power to stop the Hudud Bill even if it means giving up positions in the government.

"I have publicly stated in media interviews on July 5, 2014 and October 14, 2015 that if the Hudud Bill is passed in Parliament, I will resign from office.

"This decision remains unchanged," he said in a statement today.

'Guan Eng should resign too'

Likewise, Mah said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, should likewise resign for being responsible for PAS' rise.

He said DAP was responsible for PAS' strength as it had convinced voters to vote for the Islamic party in the last two general elections when they were part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

Hadi's Private Member's Bill is officially named the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill 2016.

It is referred to as the "Hudud Bill" as it would ultimately pave the way for the partial implementation of the Islamic penal code, specifically in PAS-ruled Kelantan which had already passed an enactment to that effect.

Under the enactment, punishments using the rotan ranges from 40 strokes to 100 strokes.

The Kelantan state's enactment cannot be implemented as long as restrictions exist that limit Syariah Court sentencing.

Hadi’s bill seeks to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or Act 355 which limits the Syariah Courts’ punishment to a maximum fine of RM5,000, three years' jail or six strokes of the rotan.- Mkini