K KANGSAR POLLS Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has been warned that it may affect Umno if he backs down on PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's private member's bill on Act 355.

"That may affect Umno and Muslim voters (in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar)," said PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan.

He was asked to respond on Najib's pledge to the BN component parties that the coalition will discuss the matter in consensus.

Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong had told the media that Najib made the promise in a meeting on Wednesday.

Najib (photo) has yet to comment on his latest decision, which has been seen as though he is backtracking on Hadi's bill.

However, Takiyuddin is not convinced that this is bad news for PAS.

"I am not sure about that because we are not in contact with Umno with regard to this matter. This is an internal issue," he told Malaysiakini.

"It is up to them, we just table the bill. If we do not get the support of majority in Parliament, it is okay for us. No harm done."

In Kuala Kangsar, 68 percent of voters are Malays, while in Sungai Besar it is 66 percent.

PAS Kuala Kangsar election director Ismail Ahmad had claimed that a survey showed 84 percent of Malays in Kuala Kangsar agree with Hadi's bill.

Hadi's motion on the private member's bill, or Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction), was fast-tracked by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said.

The move even drew flak among BN component parties, where the leaders had threatened to resign from their respective ministerial posts.

Gov't disrespect the royalty

On another matter, Takiyuddin said the way the government gazetted National Security Council (NSC) Act 2015 without royal assent, had showed that they disrespect the royalty.

This is a slap to the royal institution, he added.

"This is Agong's prerogative given by the constitution, this is his prerogative not to sign. The government has made sure that even without the royal assent, after a certain period, the bill becomes law," he said.

On Feb 17, the Conference of Rulers had asked that the NSC Bill, which would give the NSC headed by the prime minister emergency-like powers, be refined.

However, according to the national gazette, the NSC Bill was automatically assented the following day, on Feb 18, under Article 66(4A) of the Federal Constitution.

The provision grants automatic assent to any legislation if the Yang di-Pertuan Agong does not provide his assent within 30 days from when a legislation is presented to him.

The bill was gazetted into law on Tuesday, although an enforcement date has yet to be set.

Meanwhile, Takiyuddin also rebutted MCA president Liow Tiong Lai, who had said that the Islamic party was not thankful to the Chinese voters who voted for them but repaying them with the hudud law.

"Firstly, we never withdrew our principles, including the implementation of hudud law on Muslims.

"Secondly, everyone must remember that while non-Muslims voted for PAS in 2013, in certain seats we from the PAS gave them victory. I can quote few seats, including Taiping and Beruas.

"Without PAS' support, they won't go through, as half of the voters are Malays," he said.