Umno to brief BN partners on Hadi’s Bill next week

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — Umno will brief Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition component parties on political foe PAS’s controversial Bill to strengthen the Shariah courts’ powers next Wednesday, the Malay nationalist party’s information chief said today.

Datuk Annuar Musa added that Islamic religious experts and constitutional lawyers will be present to explain the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill 2016, The Star Online reported.

“Whoever is in Barisan Nasional, don’t be emotional. We have to sit down and discuss and not come up with hasty statements — that’s not the BN culture.

“Let’s discuss this issue as brothers and sisters. There have been lots of misunderstandings on this issue and we will iron this out during the meeting,” the Keterah MP was quoted saying.

Annuar said the June 8 briefing will be held at the BN headquarters here at 11am.

Several BN party leaders and ministers have objected to the Bill which they see as clearing the way for hudud to be introduced into the country.

The presidents of MCA, Gerakan and MIC have pledged to quit their government positions if hudud kicks in.

The Bill appeared on the Dewan Rakyat’s agenda last week when the government fast-tracked the opposition lawmaker’s proposal, last on the list, through the Order Paper.

Several non-Muslim ministers have claimed surprise, saying they had been kept in the dark that it would be tabled on the last day of the lower House’s meeting this season. Hadi however, has asked for it to be deferred to the next meeting in October.

The Bill seeks to lift the cap for state Shariah courts to punish Muslims convicted of Islamic offence from the current prison term, fine and whipping formula of three: RM5,000: six strokes to unlimited other than the death sentence.

Critics of the Bill assert that the law violates the Federal Constitution and will weaken the powers of the civil justice system.

from Malay Mail Online | All http://ift.tt/1XqUwOE

via Mukah Pages