KOTA BAHARU, March 19 – The Kelantan Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a bill that provides for the application of the hudud laws on Muslims upon its implementation.
All the 44 members of the assembly voted in favour of the Syariah Criminal Code (II) 1993 (Amendment 2015) Bill.
The assembly saw history when all the 12 Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen from UMNO supported the bill, tabled by Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob of the PAS-led state government.
The 12 are Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (Ayer Lanas); Datuk Nozula Mat Diah (Paloh); Datuk Md Alwi Che Ahmad (Kok Lanas); Mat Razi Mat Ail (Pengkalan Kubor); Mat Yusoff Abd Ghani (Nenggiri); Ab Aziz Yusof (Galas); Datuk Ramzi Abd Rahman (Dabong); Datuk Abdul Aziz Derashid (Kuala Balah); Datuk Mohd Adhan Kechik (Bukit Bunga); Zawawi Othman (Semerak); Zulkefli Ali (Selising) and Bakri alias Mohamad Bakri Mustapha (Gual Ipoh).
The other assemblymen in the house comprise 31 from PAS and one from PKR, namely Mohamad Roslan Puteh who represents Guchil.
The Chempaka seat is vacant following the death of PAS spiritual leader and former Kelantan menteri besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat on Feb 12. A by-election has been called and polling is on Sunday.
The bill was passed after a debate during which four assemblymen spoke. They were Datuk Hassan Mohamood (PAS-Tawang); Datuk Md Alwi Che Ahmad (BN-Kok Lanas); Dr Yusnan Yusof (PAS-Melor) and Datuk Husam Musa (PAS-Salor).
The Syariah Criminal Code II 1993, better known as the hudud, qisas and takzir laws, was not implemented for more than 20 years due to legal constraints.
The initiative of the state government to enforce the laws ran into various controversies, particularly opposition from non-Muslims and the DAP, a partner of PAS in the three-party Pakatan Rakyat opposition pact. The third partner is PKR.
Yesterday, Gerakan filed an originating summons in the High Court here seeking a declaration of revocation of the 1993 enactment.
Several amendments have been made to the enactment, which is now applicable only to Muslims. The previous enactment offered non-Muslims a choice of trial under the Syariah law or civil law.
– BERNAMA
