Umno wants to cooperate with PAS on explaining hudud, says Muhyiddin
(Bernama) – Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Umno wanted to cooperate with PAS on how to provide understanding to all quarters on hudud (Islamic laws).
“But what was important, he said, was for the two parties to sit together to discuss the matter before PAS brings it to Parliament.
The Umno deputy president said he had suggested this to Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah today.
Mohd Amar had given a positive reaction, said Muhyiddin.
He was speaking to reporters after opening the Education Management Professionalism: High Prestigious Leadership’ seminar at the Technology Education Department in Pengkalan Chepa here today.
Also present were the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, Kelantan Umno Liaison Committee deputy chairman Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar, Kelantan Education Department director Hussain Awang and Kelantan Federal Development Department director Kelantan Datuk Makhtar Mustapha.
When asked if Umno would support PAS on the matter, Muhyiddin said at the moment nobody had the right to assume support or not as the matter was still new in the history of the country.
The PAS government in Kelantan through its members in Parliament plans to mover a Private Member’s Bill on hudud in the Dewan Rakyat to obtain approval for the implementation of the Shariah Criminal Code Enactment 1993 at the latest by December this year.
“We cannot make assumptions. We need to know the story first. If we do not support then it could imply we are not supporting hudud…it has many meanings.
We may not agree with the proposal. It is something new in the country.
“It should be carefully studied, otherwise questions may arise later. There are other matters that should be settled first before it (Bill) is brought to Parliament,” he said.
Muhyiddin said hudud law should be discussed in detail as many still do not understand what hudud actually meant.
“I think Muslims are still unclear and there is a need for more in-depth and widespread information dissemination.
“Non-Muslims would also want to know the situation as this is an independent country and other citizens also have the right to know as they are fearful of the effects of its implementation on them,” he said.
He said if PAS was really serious on hudud law, it should be implemented orderly to obtain the acceptance of all parties.
“That is why we have to sit together and discuss and from there find out the real situation before it (Hudud) is brought to Parliament.
“PAS only has 21 representatives in Parliament and as such they need support from others. Who would want to support…only Umno? or other Muslim MPs and for this reason it needs indepth understanding and study,” he said.
