First reading of Hadi’s Bill not successful, says Wee

ALTHOUGH PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang managed to table his Private Member’s Bill, it is incomplete as a first reading.

A Bill can move to the second and third reading only if the first reading is successful, says Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The motion was incomplete as a first reading as Abdul Hadi was only given a chance to further explain his motion, the MCA deputy president said when met outside Parliament lobby after Abdul Hadi tabled the Bill.

“We believe the people’s concerns should be raised so we can have a proper discussion on this.

“For MCA, we made clear our stand and we will continue with our stand,” he said.

MCA is strongly opposed to Hadi’s proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act or RUU355.

MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said laws and policies must not go against the spirit of the Federal Constitution.

Earlier in the Dewan Rakyat, when PAS Kota Baru MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan was given the chance to debate in support of Abdul Hadi’s motion, MCA’s Tebrau lawmaker Khoo Soo Seang interjected.

Khoo said the reason why there was no opposition to the amendments when it was done in 1984 – in the presence of MCA representative Tan Sri Lee Kim Sai – was because there was no element of hudud.

“PAS now has tried to bring its own Islamic enactments in Terengganu and Kelantan which appear to be like hudud laws,” he said.

Khoo also questioned if it will pave the way for hudud laws to be implemented in the two states.

“These are the concerns of the non-Muslims – whether it contradicts the Federal Constitution,” said Khoo.

Datuk Koh Nai Kwong (BN-Alor Gajah) asked if the proposed amendments are unconstitutional.

He said there would be an inequality in implementing two sets of laws if the proposed amendments were accepted.

In May last year, several Barisan Nasional component parties leaders issued a joint statement to explain their objection of Hadi’s Bill.

The statement was signed by MCA’s Liow, MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong and SUPP deputy president Datuk Seri Richard Riot.

In the statement, they said the Private Member’s Bill seeks to remove safeguards referred to as the “3-6-5 Safeguards” from the Syariah Courts (Criminal Juris­dic­tion) Act 1965.

The “3-6-5 Safeguards” provide that any offence punishable under the Syariah Courts is limited to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years, or whipping of not more than six strokes, or a fine of not more than RM5,000.

“What Hadi’s Private Member’s Bill is attempting to do is to dismantle all of these, and the Bill in its current form if passed is against the spirit of the Federal Constitution,” said the joint statement.