M’sian ministers threaten to quit as opposition to Syariah Bill grows

KUALA LUMPUR — The long running controversy over the implementation of Islamic penal code in Kelantan state has once again sent shockwaves throughout the Malaysian government, with a third minister saying yesterday that he would quit the Cabinet if the Bill tabled by opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) is passed.

Health Minister S Subramaniam, who leads the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), said that he will follow Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai, who leads the Malaysian Chinese Association, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mah Siew Keong, who leads Gerakan, in quitting the Cabinet if the Bill goes through.

“This morning I had a brief discussion with CWC (Central Working Committee). I told them if after all our attempts to correctly stop it fails and hudud is eventually implemented, then I said I will relinquish my post as Minister,” said Dr Subramaniam to reporters after a MIC extraordinary general meeting.

Said Mr Liow to reporters: “We want support from both sides of the political divide to come together to stop this Bill, because it is in conflict with the spirit of our Federal Constitution.”

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Kurup, who is also United Sabah People’s Party president, cautioned Putrajaya yesterday that Sabahans and Sarawakians may demand to split from peninsular Malaysia if hudud law becomes reality.

PAS has been pushing to implement hudud law in Kelantan. Punishment under hudud law includes the cutting off of one’s hands for theft, and stoning to death for extramarital sex.

The Pakatan Rakyat opposition pact was dissolved last year after a public spat between PAS and the Democratic Action Party, with the latter insisting that hudud was not part of a common policy framework adopted by the opposition parties after PAS tabled a private member’s Bill in Parliament to remove legal barriers to the enforcement of hudud in Kelantan.

Last Thursday, Ms Azalina Othman Said, another minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, tabled a motion to expedite the tabling of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s Bill in Parliament to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also commonly known as the “hudud” Bill.

Mr Hadi surprisingly requested it to be deferred for debate at the next parliamentary meeting in October.

Analysts have noted that the ruling United Malays National Organisation has allowed the hudud Bill debate to proceed so as to score political points against the opposition before the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections next month.

The by-elections are being called following the death of incumbents, Wan Mohammad Khair-il Wan Ahmad and Noriah Kasnon, in a helicopter crash on May 5.

On Friday, Prime Minister Najib Razak claimed that the Bill tabled by Mr Hadi the day before is merely aimed to only give the Syariah Courts power to mete out caning as punishment for any syariah offences, saying the issue was a “misunderstanding”.

Mr Hadi also clarified on Saturday that PAS’ Bill was not meant to introduce hudud law in Kelantan.

Dr Subramaniam, the health minister, said yesterday that he accepts Mr Najib’s statement but urged him to clarify his remarks further.

“We need an explanation from the Prime Minister about what it means because our research says these amendments will make way for the implementation of hudud, starting in Kelantan and maybe after that in other states,” he told a news conference. AGENCIES

NAJIB’S CLARIFICATION

“I would like to clarify to our friends in Barisan Nasional (ruling coalition) that there was a misunderstanding. When Abdul Hadi tabled the Bill, people assumed it’s for hudud,” Mr Najib told reporters.

“I would like to state that it is not for the implementation of hudud. It is just to give the Syariah Courts enhanced punishments.

From six strokes caning to a few more, depending on the offences,” he said, adding that the bill only involves Muslims and has nothing to do with Malaysians of other religions.