PKR, DAP yet to study Amanah’s alternative Shariah proposal

(MMO) – PKR and DAP lawmakers have not gone through Pakatan Harapan ally Parti Amanah Negara’s (Amanah) alternative suggestion to PAS’ controversial Bill to strengthen the Shariah courts.

PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang said that while his party agrees in principle with Amanah’s idea, its members needed to study the proposal in-depth first.

“We all have our opinions, we are all in agreement that there must be a proper select committee so that our cases can be heard,” the Batu MP told reporters today.

DAP legal bureau chief Gobind Singh Deo also said his party has yet to study the details of Amanah’s proposal.

“We have been informed that Amanah submitted the motion. The DAP will study it and discuss it at its next central committee meet next week. We will issue a statement after that meeting,” the Puchong MP told reporters when met outside the House.

Earlier today, Amanah sprung a surprise announcement that it filed a motion to enhance the powers of the Shariah courts, similar to a private member’s Bill initiated by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang that is to be tabled this sitting.

Amanah communications director Khalid Samad claimed, however, that his party’s version would be more coherent and detailed than Hadi’s proposal.

Hadi’s motion for his private member’s Bill was listed as the fourth item in the Order Paper for the month-long Dewan Rakyat sitting that started today, but was not read out.

The Bill seeks to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also known as Act 355, to empower Islamic courts to enforce any punishment ― except for the death penalty ― provided in Shariah laws for Islamic offences listed under state jurisdiction in the Federal Constitution.

Shariah court punishments are currently limited to jail terms not exceeding three years, whipping of not more than six strokes, or fines of not more than RM5,000.

Critics have argued that the Bill if passed will open the door to the implementation of hudud in Malaysia.

Hadi has maintained that his private member’s Bill only aims to expand the range of punishments the Shariah courts can impose and will not kickstart the hudud process.