Ku Nan: BN allies will understand explanation on Act 355

Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor is confident that BN's allies will finally accept Umno's explanation on the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 and understand the purpose of the amendment to the Act.

Prime Minister and BN chairman Najib Abdul Razak would meet leaders of BN parties so they know the amendment of Act 355 is not indeed hudud, he said.

"We will ensure all the component parties know what the amendment is about because many still have little knowledge about it," Tengku Adnan told Sin Chew Daily in an interview.

"This could only be implemented when all the parties arrive at a consensus... BN emphasises on consensus," he said, adding that Act 355 would only be applicable to Muslims.

However, Tengku Adnan, who is also federal territories minister, did not answer when asked if MCA, Gerakan and MIC adamantly objected to the amendment of Act 355. 

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang brought up a motion through a Private Member's Bill in the Dewan Rakyat, to lift the cap on the punishment meted out in the syariah court, in April 2015.

Last November, he altered his motion by putting a cap on the syariah court's juridiction, by raising the punishment ceiling to 30 years' jail, RM100,000 fine and 100 times of whipping.

The bill, which was taken over by the government, would be tabled again in this Parliament session, which began today.

On another matter, Tengku Adnan said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad "has gone crazy" with his intention to "destroy the achievements of the country, built on the unity of every ethnic."

'Bersatu will dissolve, one day'

He said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, set up by the former Umno president, would dissolve one day, just like Semangat 46, did. 

"It is simple, this party was formed out of hate. I am sad, I want to advise him to stop all this. Mahathir, please cease from destroying Umno and the country," he said. 

"I don't know why he ended up like this. I don't know what he wants... Was it because he was too self-centred and unable to get what he wanted, so he wants to sabotage?" he asked. 

Tengku Adnan then dismissed Bersatu as not a threat to Umno. 

On another matter, the federal minister reiterated that the measures taken on Malay privileges were meant to help the ethnic group. 

"Even if the bumiputera enjoy privileges, as according to the Federal Constitution, look at the top 10 richest people in the country. How many of them are bumiputera?" he asked. 

Tengku Adnan, who is fondly known as Ku Nan, said the government has not forgotten the poor Chinese and Indians and provides assistance for these groups as well. 

He noted the non-Malays in the workforce were, on average, paid better than the Malays. 

"To be fair, this may be due to their hardwork, as such we can see many Malay parents sending their children to Chinese schools to learn such spirit and living culture," Tengku Adnan added. - Mkini