PAS: Ball is now in Umno's court to score Act 355 'goal'

PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said his party had done its part to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) 1965, or Act 355, and the ball was now in Umno's court.

Mohd Amar, who is also the Kelantan deputy menteri besar, said this in response to the amendment motion failing to be debated in the last Parliament sitting which was concluded last Thursday.

Comparing the motion to a football match, Mohd Amar explained; "Many people questioned it and claim PAS had been cheated. Actually, we have already kicked the ball to Umno, Umno should kick it to score a goal.

"So it's no longer PAS' problem because we've passed the ball," he told journalists after attending the Kelantan exco meeting in Kota Baru today.

The motion was made to seek leave to amend Act 355.

The proposed amendment seeks to increase the current punishment that can be meted out by syariah courts from three years’ imprisonment, RM5,000 fine and six strokes of the rotan to 10 years’ imprisonment, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the rotan.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (photo), who is also Marang MP, had in the first meeting of the fifth Parliament session in April, tabled the motion and was seconded by PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, who is Kota Baru MP.

There appear to be differing opinions in PAS on how to move forward, with PAS Ulama chief Mahfodz Mohamed suggesting postponement of the motion until after the general election. 

Mahfodz reasoned that there was not enough support in Parliament at present and this would change after the general election if PAS could pick up more seats.

On the other hand, Takiyuddin has indicated PAS' intention to move ahead with the motion.

However, the motion failed to materialise in the previous Parliament sitting, which was the last one before the general election, barring the convening of a special sitting.

Mohd Amar said the responsibility to allow the motion to move forward now lies with Umno and the Dewan Rakyat speaker. -Mkini