PAS ready to debate Private Member's Bill on hudud

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS is ready to debate the Private Member's Bill on hudud in the Dewan Rakyat when Parliament resumes, says party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (pic).

"We have been ready for a debate since 1957. We are ready to debate the Bill," said Abdul Hadi when asked about the Bill in a press conference on Sunday night.

Abdul Hadi, who spoke after a Hari Raya gathering of Muslim non-governmental organisations (NGOs), said that the gathering showed that the Bill was wanted by Muslims throughout Malaysia.

"We need to upgrade the status of the Syariah Court in the Malaysian Constitution that was left by the British; it places the Syariah Courts at a lower level than the magistrate's court. This itself contradicts the Federal Constitution which says that Islam is the religion of the Federation," said Abdul Hadi.

He stressed that while Islam is the religion of Malaysia in the Federal Constitution, the Syariah Courts have a low status that did not reflect this.

"Muslims have a right to call for Syariah law. Non-Muslims have a right to practice their religion, and Muslims have a right to their religion," said Abdul Hadi.