Catholic Bishop Emeritus Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing fears that after weeks of a game of smoke and mirrors on the part of the government, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s parliamentary motion on further empowering the Shariah courts is reaching an “ominous denouement”.

Alluding to developments yesterday in the corridors of Parliament on the now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t motion on enhancing the powers of the Shariah courts, Bishop Paul said:

“Now more than ever you see the need for the acutest clarity on the gravest matter to face this nation founded by the Federal Constitution of 1957: Is the country going to remain liberal democratic, however waveringly, or is it going to take the penultimate step to its becoming an Islamic state, retreat from which we know from Islamic history is not going to be possible?”

“Make no mistake about what is waiting down the road with the passage of this bill,” warned the bishop in remarks to Malaysiakini.

Bishop Paul said that more than ever MPs must apply what he called the “Razaleigh test” to the Hadi bill which he framed in this way: “Is this bill in line with the constitution or not?”

Ten-term MP for Gua Musang Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah of Umno, asked for his stand on the Hadi bill at a book launch in Kuala Lumpur last month, said he would apply as a litmus test to any bill its consonance with or contravention of the constitution.

He said he would vote down bills that contravene the constitution.

“That is the test that cries out to be applied to Hadi's bill,” said Bishop Paul.