Claiming ‘insult’ to Muslims, PAS MP demands Nazri retract ‘stupid’ remark on hudud

By MT Webmaster On Mar 24, 2015

(Malay Mail Online) – Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (pic) must withdraw his remark that only “stupid people” are discussing how to implement hudud in Malaysian, said a PAS MP who labelled the minister’s words an “insult” to Muslims.

PAS information chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar said it was unbecoming of Nazri to label proponents of the Islamic penal law in the manner.

“It is an insult (to Muslims.) I think it is an undemocratic decision coming from a former law minister.

“Be careful with your words, Nazri. He must retract his remarks,” Mahfuz told reporters at a news conference here.

Yesterday, Nazri said those bickering over the hudud law and its planned implementation in Kelantan are “stupid people” as the controversial Islamic penal code runs counter to the Federal Constitution and would therefore never be implemented in Malaysia.

“They are all stupid, whoever is talking about this from whichever political party. This can only happen if there is an amendment to the Federal Constitution.

“So why even talk or bother about something that is against the Constitution and will not happen? Exercise in futility,” the former de facto law minister told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby here.

Nazri, who is now tourism minister, stressed that punishments for crime and theft under hudud could not be passed without first amending the Constitution as the civil courts already have clear punishments for such offences.

Empowering the Shariah Courts to carry out these punishments would require two-thirds parliamentary majority to amend the Constitution, he pointed out.

PAS-ruled Kelantan passed key amendments to its Shariah Criminal Code II 1993 last Thursday in a move to enable the eventual implementation of hudud in the Malay-majority east coast state.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had earlier last week served notice to Parliament on the proposed Bill but BN’s law minister Datuk Nancy Shukri said it may not make it into the order paper for the current session as there are many others on the schedule.

With DAP and PKR’s rejection, PAS and its 21 MPs in the lower House must rely on all of Umno’s MPs plus more from other non-Muslim parties in order to get a simple majority of 112 votes to get the Bill passed.