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Azalina: Fast-tracking Hadi's bill shows commitment to reforms
Published:  May 26, 2016 5:32 PM
Updated: 11:15 AM

The government is claiming that the fast-tracking of Marang MP Abdul Hadi Awang's Private Member's Bill is proof positive of its openness and commitment to parliamentary reforms.

"The tabling of the Marang MP's Private Member's Bill also reflected the government's openness when it allowed this in the Dewan Rakyat.

"This move is seen to be in line with efforts to bring about parliamentary reforms, which are being implemented in the current sitting," said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said in a statement.

She said that such a bill could be be brought by any member of the Dewan Rakyat and this was not the first time that it had happened.

She said that Gua Musang MP, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, had tabled a Private Member's Bill to amend the Societies Act 1966 on Dec 5 1988. The Bill was carried through until the debate and voting stage.

"The government remains committed to ensuring that the institution of parliament continue to be upheld and democratic practice ensconced in the nation," she said.

She said the Private Member's Bill Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdictions) (Amendment) 2016, which was submitted to the Dewan Rakyat by Hadi, was to strengthen the role and power of the Syariah Courts.

It should be noted that the Bill's actual purpose was to amend the law governing the jurisdiction of the Syariah Courts, to allow for the implementation of the Islamic penal code in PAS-ruled Kelantan.

She was commenting on the government tabling a motion to suspend its business in the House and allowing Hadi's Private Member's Bill to be tabled.

But Hadi unexpectedly decided to ask that his Bill be postponed until the next sitting.

He, however, expressed his gratitude to Putrajaya after receiving support from the government for the tabling of the bill.

It had been in the Parliament order paper for several sessions but had never seen the light of day until today, after it received backing from the government.

The bill is colloquially referred to as the Hudud Bill but it is specifically to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or Act 355.

At present, Act 355 limits the Syariah Courts punishment to a maximum fine of RM5,000, three years jail or six strokes of the whip.

The amendment seeks to increase this limit to path way for the partial implementation of hudud, which punishment using the whip, for example, requires between 40 to 100 strokes.

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