PAS admits cooperation with Umno, to use hudud for polls

PAS will use the hudud issue to campaign in the upcoming by-elections, where the majority of voters for both seats are Malays, said its Youth chief Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz

This is after the Islamic party was successful in tabling the Hudud Bill in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon.

Nik Abduh also admitted PAS received cooperation from Umno, without which the Private Member's Bill would not have been slated for debate since it was listed as the last item on the Parliament's Order Paper.

"We will highlight this issue (hudud) in the by-elections. Umno may also highlight the issue - everyone has a right to do so or otherwise," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

He said voters in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar would be given an "early explanation" on the issue.

Asked about DAP's claim that the successful tabling of the bill proved PAS was working with Umno, Nik Abduh confirmed this.

"It is not a claim. The cooperation exists but only on matters of mutual interest.

"I have always been clear about it but there are some who think we cannot cooperate with the federal government," he added.

Nik Abduh said the tabling of the bill showcased the kind of cooperation that PAS had alluded to.

"We thank the courageous House speaker and government for allowing a Private Member's Bill for the very first time," he added.

The bill, tabled by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, is often referred to as the Hudud Bill but is specifically to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or Act 355.

At present, Act 355 limits the Syariah Courts punishment to a maximum fine of RM5,000, three years jail or six strokes of the whip.

The amendment seeks to increase this limit to pave the way for partial implementation of hudud, where punishment using the whip, for example, would be between 40 and 100 strokes.

However, Hadi later asked that the bill be debated in the next Parliament session, citing the need to give MPs more time to prepare.- Mkini