Hudud: Kelantan people have rights too
A Muslim NGO tells hudud critics to hold their fire
K. Pragalath, Free Malaysia Today
A Muslim NGO today called on opponents of hudud to respect the right of Kelantan citizens to be ruled under it if they so wished.
“The language of human rights has crept into our consciousness in a way that was unimaginable two decades ago,” said Dr Musa Mohd Nordin, a board member of Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF).
“Maybe the people of Kelantan should be given the right to be governed with a law which they feel is integral to the practice of their religion.”
His comment came in the wake of opposition against a PAS move to table a private member’s bill in Parliament to pave the way for hudud implementation in Kelantan.
Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the passage of the bill would enable the establishment of a Syariah Special Court and a Syariah Special Appeals Court.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has proposed the formation of a national technical committee to deliberate on the issue.
Non-Muslim based political parties as well as some Muslim quarters are against the PAS plan.
Addressing these detractors, Dr Musa pointed out that only Kelantan would be affected.
“After all, it is only a small part of the country and it happens that Muslims make up more than 95% of the population there,” he said.
