Kelantan sets up hudud framework panel

By Syed Azhar, The Star

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Government has announced the setting up of a hudud technical committee headed by Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob.

State Islamic Development, Education and Dakwah Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the 19-member committee included him, state Syariah chief Judge Datuk Daud Mohamad, Kelantan Mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad, State Islamic Affairs Department director Datuk Che Mohd Rahim Jusoh and Kelantan police chief Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman.

However, Mohd Amar said the state government would let the appointees decide whether to accept or decline the offer after issuing official letters to them.

“One of the main roles of the committee is to study the possibilities of implementing the hudud enactment following views by constitutional law experts that syariah criminal laws could be implemented without amending the Federal Constitution and existing syariah laws.

“Therefore, one of their tasks is to exhaust all avenues to study this matter and come up with suggestions on how these laws could be practised.

“However, it is up to these members to accept or decline the offer because what is important is everything is done within the legal framework of the law,” he said after attending the state exco meeting yesterday.

Mohd Amar also said that no time frame had been set for the committee to convene its first meeting.