Kit Siang: Will Najib 'U-turn' yet again on Act 355?

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has been challenged to guarantee that he would no longer make another policy "U-turn" on the bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said that while he welcomed Najib's "U-turn" by declaring that Putrajaya would not take over the private member's bill, there is no guarantee that the latter won't change his mind later.

"Is there any guarantee that Najib would not make another U-turn in the near future to support and takeover Abdul Hadi Awang's private member's bill?

"Najib's U-turn is good and commendable provided he can make a firm commitment that he would not make another U-turn on the same issue in the future.

"Can Najib give a public pledge that he would not make another U-turn on the same issue in the future?" asked Lim in a statement today.

For Lim, this question was valid because Najib made the policy "U-turn" despite having announced to the Umno annual general assembly that Putrajaya would take over Abdul Hadi's bill.

The annual general assembly is the highest decision making body in Umno. Najib's pledge on Putrajaya taking over the bill was made when the assembly convened last November.

Last Wednesday, the BN supreme council resolved that Putrajaya could not take over the bill, effectively forcing Najib's hand.

The bill had been rejected by most BN component parties, aside from Umno, on grounds that it was against the spirit of the constitution and that it would lead to further Islamisation.- Mkini