Neither MCA nor other BN component parties opposed to PAS' hudud bill in recent cabinet meetings, said Youth Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

However he repeated that the hudud bill was not discussed. "It was just presented, saying that this had happened," he told reporters in Kuala Langat, Selangor today.

This contradicts MCA president Liow Tiong Lai's claim that cabinet on March 20 and 27 discussed it.

Apart from Khairy, Minister for International Trade and Industry Mustapa Mohamed and Tourism Minister Nazri Aziz have also claimed cabinet did not discuss the issue.

Liow had on several occasions stated MCA‘s objection against the implementation of hudud law.

Khairy however said, "All other discussions were taken up at BN level, among BN leaders. But I was not there."

Asked to comment on former Primer Minister Mahathir Mohamad's statement that Umno should not back PAS' hudud for votes, the Umno Youth chief however reserved his comment.

"Regarding hudud, we wait for the official statement from BN chairperson and Umno president Najib. Other people need not comment on this," he said.

Dr M thumbs down hudud

When the Kelantan assembly passed the hudud enactment on March 19, BN component party leaders met with Najib on the same day to express their objections.

Following the meeting, MCA president Liow Tiong Lai claimed that Najib would issue a statement the next day, but this never materialised.

Meanwhile Mahathir yesterday criticised Kelantan Umno for supporting PAS' hudud push in the state, which he described as "un-Islamic".

He also said Umno should not back PAS' hudud plans simply for the sake of securing the Malay-Muslim vote.

"The present hudud is wrong and cannot be applied in Malaysia, because we have a multi-religious population," Mahathir said.