Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s delay in making a stand on the hudud bill lends credence to the argument that the issue is more political than one concerning religion and conscience.

A veteran Umno observer, with close ties to Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said unlike the former prime minister, Najib has never made his position clear on this matter.

Mahathir had always been opposed to the implementation of the Islamic penal system.

“They have no clear way of explaining their stance on hudud and no real idea how to explain it convincingly,” the observer told Malaysiakini on condition of anonymity.

He said the longer Najib dragged his feet, the argument that Umno might have supported the hudud enactment of Kelantan with the hope of splitting the opposition would become more convincing.

“So it becomes an issue that is totally political, instead of one of religion and conscience.

“If it is the latter, it will be easier for him to explain, as a Muslim. Anything that is based on the Quran and Hadith, the Muslims cannot reject,” the Umno observer added.

He also pointed out that Najib had a tendency to procrastinate on important issues, such as the controversies surrounding the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Asked how Najib could not anticipate hudud as posing a problem at the federal level, should Umno support it at the state level, the observer replied: “He could have been caught in between certain people.”

“Look at the past news reports on this issue. Who in Umno has talked about supporting hudud and all that, not Najib but others,” he added.

A double-edged sword?

The hudud bill appears to be a double-edged sword, which could inflict irreparable damage on both the ruling and opposition coalitions.

Najib met with the BN component party leaders on the same day the Kelantan state assembly passed the hudud amendments on March 19, with the backing of the 12 Umno state representatives.

The BN component parties had voiced their objection to the hudud bill proposed for Parliament, while MCA president Liow Tiong Lai said the prime minister would issue a statement the next day.

However, more than 10 days have passed and there has been no statement from Najib on the hudud ssue, leading to widespread speculation.

Some believe that the prime minister is waiting for the opposition to disintegrate, while there are also those who claim that the BN is not able to reach a consensus on the matter.