Umno’s silence on its ally Gerakan’s lawsuit against the recently passed Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code II (Amendment 2015) 1993 shows its 12 Kelantan assemblypersons backed the Bill only for political purposes, said PAS.

Last week, Gerakan Youth filed an originating summons at the Kota Bharu High Court to declare the law unconstitutional.

"Is Umno trying to support Gerakan's move by remaining silent?

"Is this a political move because Umno is afraid that it would be turned down by the Kelantanese if they reject the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code II?” PAS information chief Mahfuz Omar asked in a statement today.

"Umno should make an official stand on this matter, otherwise the people will see that the party has failed to criticise BN component parties such as MCA and Gerakan who oppose the hudud in Kelantan," he said.

Mahfuz, however, failed to note that Umno supreme council member Ismail Sabri Ismail had ticked off both MCA and Gerakan for being vocal against hudud.    

BN has yet to make an official statement on hudud, despite all component party heads meeting on the matter last week.

Sin Chew Jit Poh had reported that the 13 component parties had at the meeting signed an agreement that hudud was constitutional.

Asked if this is true, Umno Secretary-General Tengku Adnan Mansor said BN chairperson and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak would make a statement by tomorrow.

Umno itself is at odds on the matter.

Last week Umno’s Kemaman MP Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Umno cannot be seen to be opposed to hudud while its Pulai MP Nur Jazlan Mohamed claimed it was unconstitutional.