BN might have backed Shariah Bill if details provided, minister tells PAS
(MMO) – Barisan Nasional (BN) would have been more supportive of PAS’s private member’s Bill to amend the Shariah Courts if more details had been provided from the beginning.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said BN could not have tabled the the amendment to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act — better known as RUU355 in Parliament when they did not fully understand it.
She said that as a coalition, BN wished that PAS had provided more details about the Bill and why such an amendment was needed in the first place.
“I’m a Muslim but I must remember that there are a lot of non-Muslims that might also not understand it. Even people like us have not been given enough explanation. How can we support it? ,” she told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby.
Nancy also said that certain parts of the Bill like the increase in caning proposed by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has to be amended first.
“I’m not saying it’s all good but to a certain extend it will help but maybe they will have to amend certain parts of it. The caning, it’s a bit too much,” she explained.
