Don’t ‘self-destruct’ by dragging heels on hudud, ex-DPM warns Umno

(Malay Mail Online) – Umno should not head to its own demise by taking its time to come to a firm stand on the roll-out of hudud, former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam said today.

Musa also expressed his disappointment that Umno has yet to make a firm stand on the Islamic criminal justice system, noting that this was a national issue that has long-term implications on the country at both the domestic and international level.

“Umno should determine its stand as fast as possible. This issue is very important and cannot be left like that.

“Not just the country that will bear the consequences, but Umno will also face bad consequences as a political party that has served the nation and country for so long. Don’t let Umno self-destruct!” the Umno veteran said in a statement today.

Musa also said his personal stand has always been that hudud is ill-suited for Malaysia.

“As a former Umno leader, I fully believe that at the bottom of Umno’s heart since it was formed until now, holds the view that hudud is not suitable for Malaysia which is a plural country of diverse ethnicity and religion,” he said.

Musa said Umno cannot afford to be viewed as attempting to outstrip its political rival PAS in pushing for the strict Islamic penal code’s enforcement in Malaysia.

“Umno should not be trying to out-Pas Pas!” said Musa, who had previously served under Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In the same statement, Musa said that the public should not be shocked by PAS’s efforts to see hudud enforced, saying that it had long been the party’s consistent aim in its election manifesto.

“All the opposition parties in Pakatan, don’t pretend that (you) didn’t know about that,” he said.

Amendments to the Kelantan’s Shariah Criminal Code II 1993 were tabled in the state legislative assembly earlier this week, all 12 Umno assemblymen voted in support of the tweaks.

PAS now plans to put forward two private members’ bills in Parliament to enable Kelantan to enforce hudud ― one will seek approval for the state to legislate punishment for crimes under the Penal Code. The other seeks to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal) Jurisdiction Act 1965 to enable Islamic courts to mete out punishments like the death penalty for apostasy and amputation of limbs for theft.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman, is expected to issue a statement soon on hudud.