Hudud would never be practiced in Sarawak, says Adenan
Satem, the state’s chief minister, after a leadership meeting of the ruling
Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu.
“We will not support the so-called hudud bill. We are a
multi-racial nation. Muslims only constitute 25 percent (of Sarawak’s
population). We are not Kelantan,” he said after chairing a meeting of the PBB
supreme council.
“But anyway, on principle, we are against the hudud bill.”
He was referring to a private member’s bill brought to
Parliament by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, which was scheduled for debate in
the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday after the government made no objection. However
Hadi requested that the debate be deferred to the next meeting in October.
The bill seeks parliamentary approval to amend federal law
and allow Kelantan’s syariah courts to impose Islamic criminal penalties under
state law, such as whipping for adultery. It has faced resistance from both
Barisan Nasional and opposition leaders.
Umno and PAS have 86 and 14 seats respectively in the
222-seat Dewan Rakyat, totalling 100, which would fall short of the majority
needed to pass the Bill.
Five political parties in Sabah and Sarawak have stated
their opposition to the bill while Sarawak PAS commissioner Jofri Jaraiee said
that the state chapter of the party supported Hadi’s move.
He said non-Muslim
legislators should not interfere with the bill as they would be interfering in
the affairs of Islamic religious law.
Source -FMT-
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