Amid absence of hudud bills in Parliament, Hadi sets up meeting with Putrajaya

(Malay Mail Online) – PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang today said the Kelantan state government will meet with its federal counterpart to discuss plans to implement the Islamic penal law or hudud in the state.

Playing down the absence of his private member’s bills on hudud from the parliamentary order paper over the past two days, he said the meeting will be held “soon”.

“God willing, a discussion will be held soon between Kelantan and the federal government to allow this motion to be brought up to them (Putrajaya), as we still find that many still do not understand this (hudud),” the Marang MP said at a news conference after attending a forum by PAS organ, Harakah daily.

Abdul Hadi’s two private member’s bills were first listed in the parliamentary order paper towards the end of the last parliamentary meeting which ended in April.

The bills aim to amend the Shariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355), to allow the hudud implementation in Kelantan.

The PAS-led Kelantan state government at the same time tabled amendments to the Shariah Criminal Code (II) (1993) 2015 Enactment, which were passed by the State Legislative Assembly with a majority vote by PAS and Umno state lawmakers.

The situation led to deepening divisions between PAS and their Pakatan Rakyat partners DAP and PKR, who accused the Islamist party and Abdul Hadi, in particular, of acting unilaterally despite having initially agreed to discuss the hudud issue further.

With DAP and PKR officially against PAS’ push for hudud, the latter party will need the support of arch-rivals Umno to see through Abdul Hadi’s bills if they are allowed to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.