RUU355: Umno positive but what about Malay Muslim opposition parties?

By Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, TANJAK

The RUU355 ball has landed in Pakatan Harapan’s court in the wake of the suspenseful late night announcement by Najib Razak on March 29.

He told reporters present after the BN supreme council meeting that the government would not be taking over the bill due to objections from component parties and the need to abide by the coalition’s trademark diplomacy.

Needless to say, the opposition was quick to condemn his decision. Criticisms were leveled that Umno had plotted with the BN component parties to escape its obligation to adopt proposed amendments to the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.

Among the trenchant criticisms — that Umno was not serious in its support for RUU355 to begin with, that Umno is weak and has to kowtow to the BN component parties, or that there is a clash allegedly between Najib and his deputy Zahid Hamidi (pix below).

The reality is the two men are clearly in sync on the matter of upholding Islam. In Kuala Terengganu recently on March 17, Zahid stated the government’s intention to take over the Hadi Awang bill. Prior to that on Dec 1 at the Umno AGM, Najib had said the same of the government’s intent.

Evidently both the Umno supreme leaders have an identical desire to strengthen the position of Islam in Malaysia.

Nonetheless they are required to delicately balance the will of Umno with the spirit of BN consensus. The upshot is that Najib and Zahid have continued to abide by the BN formula of friendly accord that has been key to the ruling coalition’s success for ever so long.

No question of deception

There is no question of Umno deceiving PAS over the latter’s proposal to enhance the jurisdiction of our syariah courts.

The bill was, after all, twice allowed to be brought before Parliament for a first reading respectively on May 26 and Nov 24 last year.

The fact that RUU355 is again tabled at this current parliamentary session and being fast-tracked to the floor of the House today puts paid to the accusation of Umno attempting to trick PAS.

Blame should not be attached to PAS either for putting forward a private member’s bill by the Member of Parliament for Marang.

Umno supports, others object

Earlier today at around noon, Marang MP cum PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (pix above) read out his RUU355 draft in Parliament. PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan then gave a speech in support of Hadi’s motion.

PAS commenced on this course of action only after receiving the assurance of de facto Islamic Affairs Minister Jamil Khir Baharom.

Jamil, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, broached the idea of government support for 355 in response to Ketereh MP Annuar Musa’s urging in Parliament on 27 March 2014.

Earlier statements by Umno leaders in support of RUU355 are definitive proof of Umno’s sincerity and earnestness to uphold Islam. The level of commitment by Umno towards enhancing syariah jurisdiction should not be calibrated against the bill’s non-acceptance by other BN members.

As stated by Deputy Minister in the PM’s Department Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, not taking over RUU355 does not amount to not supporting the same.

Now that Hadi has once more presented his bill for debate, Umno is signalling its tacit support or at the very least allowing its MPs to vote according to their conscience.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia (pix below) ruled just now that the debate on RUU355 will be held in the next parliament sitting.

Providing a positive perception

The announcement by Najib on the government electing not to proceed with the RUU355 takeover only points to the longstanding BN bedrock of consensus.

Although he is the BN chairman, Najib does not decide unilaterally and excluding the wishes of other BN component parties in this and other matters.

Such a resolve by mutual agreement should translate into a positive image of the BN in the eyes of non-Malay voters in the peninsula as well as in Sabah and Sarawak. This in turn would mean more votes for BN, right?

Najib’s open and democratic approach is a welcome relief from the dictatorial ways of Dr Mahathir Mohamed who, as (the then) prime minister, would often disregard objections raised by the BN component parties.

One example is the time Dr M chucked the MCA’s protests into the wastepaper basket. MCA had protested the Islamic Enactments of Selangor to no avail. This detail is recorded in the minutes of an Umno Supreme Council meeting on 2 Dec 1989.

So BN component parties must appreciate Najib’s willingness to compromise by not going overboard and painting a false perception to the effect that Umno is weak.

The truth is Umno is still strong. Let this compromise mark the end to harmful polemics that serve only to hurt the feelings of Malay Muslims.

Govt is quite sure M’sia not secular

And any issue of Malaysia allegedly being a secular state should no longer be brought up repeatedly.

On 17 July 2007 before he became PM, Najib himself had weighed in that Malaysia is indeed not secular.

Concurring with this view are Jamil Khir and previous de facto Law Minister Nazri Aziz. Delivering their official statements in Parliament – Jamil on 16 June 2014 and Nazri on 22 Oct 2012 as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department – both noted that Malaysia is not secular.

Even DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang said on 21 June 2014 that Jamil Khir’s announcement was binding on all government servants whether the individual is personally in favour or against the interpretation of Malaysia’s status on this subject.

Following the doctrine of collective responsibility, statements by cabinet ministers in parliament are considered to have been made in their official capacity. Hence the government of Malaysia collectively holds that the country is not secular.