‘Misplaced priorities’ in calls for hudud, says Anwar

The prime minister says Perikatan Nasional took no action when it was in power, and PAS talks about hudud only when elections are near.

(FMT) – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has criticised PAS and other proponents of hudud law for only actively advocating its implementation when elections are near, accusing them of misplaced priorities.

Speaking to US-based broadcaster Mehdi Hasan in a recent interview, Anwar said the government’s current priorities are policies regarding peace, security and economic development.

“They know this. But they use (arguments of hudud) particularly closer to the elections. When they were in power, they said no, hudud was not their priority,” he said.

When asked if there is a place in 2024 for punishments under hudud law, Anwar said no, because the government is “not in the position to execute them”.

“We will have to build a consensus if that’s what the vast majority wants. I’m a Muslim, I’m a practicing Muslim. I make no apologies about it. But I think there are priorities. We have to survive.

“We have to make sure there’s peace and security, and that we deal with the bread and butter issues. Better education, quality education, better health services,” he said.

In 2020, PAS had been urged by Kelantan assemblyman Hassan Mohamood to temporarily stop calls for implementing hudud and instead focus on strengthening the Perikatan Nasional government at the time.

He was reported to have said: “We need to learn what priorities we need to implement. In other words, we need to learn the fiqh (Islamic philosophy) of priorities. Do not be influenced by dissenting voices, or ‘the devil’s voice’. We have to ask what we should do now.”