Keadilan joins women groups urging PAS to review hudud laws
Keadilan today joined hands with women groups and political parties to urge the PAS-led Terengganu state government to review the implementation of the proposed Syariah Criminal Enactment.
The party's wanita chief Fuziah Salleh said the implementation of the proposed hudud (Islamic criminal) laws should be reviewed to reflect Islam's concept of justice for all.
Fuziah said the call is made based on the understanding that Islam promotes fairness, equality and protection for women.
"It (syariah law implementation) should also consider achievements of science and techonology and the current environmental situation," she told malaysiakini .
Fuziah was responding to a call on Tuesday by Women and Family Development Minister Sharizat Abdul Jalil for all women to unite in opposing the Syariah Criminal Bill on hudud and qisas (revenge crime restitution) as some provisions were grossly unfair to women.
Shahrizat called on women leaders in the country, including those in the opposition parties, to join her in protesting against the enactment which she said clearly victimises women.
Fuziah however said Sharizat should do her homework before making the call as other women groups have already initiated a move to amend the proposed bill. She said PAS and Keadilan have organised a seminar in Terengganu on May 12 to draft a memorandum on the proposed changes to be sent to the state leadership for consideration.
Not comprehensive
"Her comments are not comprehensive and it shows her inability to resolve women's problems in the country," said Fuziah, taking a jibe at the minister for women's affairs, whose call came about a month after all women's groups have spoken on the issue.
She said the memorandum includes a request to make a distinction between rape and zina (illicit sexual intercourse) and the shifting of the burden of proof from the complainant to the accused.
Yesterday, the Star reported that PAS central working committee member Dr Lo' Lo' Ghazali conceded that certain clauses in the enactment needed to be reviewed to ensure that they do not discriminate against women.
She however disagreed with Shahrizat's call for women leaders to pressurise the state government to scrap the bill.
Meanwhile, Gerakan wanita secretary-general Ng Siew Lai said it was clear that the proposed bill will bring about injustice for all.
Four witnesses
"We have read in the newspapers of a provision whereby a raped woman must produce four witnesses to prove her innocence. And if she is pregnant due to the rape, she is presumed guilty.
"What about the perpetrator? What role will the prosecution play in the light of the proposed bill? Or will the prosecution be discarded altogether? Is it not logical to then conclude that because a rapist is not required to prove that he did not commit a rape, such cases may increase?" Ng asked.
She said there would be "horrendous" consequences as the proposed enactment goes against the very basic tenet of the 1950 Evidence Act.
She added that hudud laws would make women more vulnerable to injustice.
"To be subjected to such agonising laws is unimaginable. It is basically going back in time with no regard for social and economic development," she lamented.
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