Every single word contained in the proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also known as Act 355, must be defined before Parti Amanah Negara would make its stand on whether to vote for or against the motion tabled by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

Amanah communications director Khalid Samad told a press conference at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today that Hadi himself must explain the reasonings behind the draft Bill which he had tabled and withdrawn during the final day of the parliament session last year.

"This is not about editing an article or a book. This is a legislation.

"Every word that was used and chosen (in the original Act 355) has a purpose. If we want to replace or amend any word, then there must be a reason..." the Shah Alam MP said.

Khalid specifically referred to Hadi's draft Private Member's Bill, which sought to replace in total Section 2 of Act 355 and insert an additional Section 2A.

"The need to replace the entire Section 2 has not been explained, whether it had any flaws.

"If the aim (of the amendment) is merely to increase punishments, would it not have been sufficient to only insert a new clause?" he asked.

'It'll will give syariah courts a blank cheque'

Khalid claimed that the wording of Hadi's proposal would give a "blank cheque" for the syariah courts to mete out any punishment under their jurisdiction with the exception of a death sentence.

"Amanah wants Hadi (photo) to explain if he really understood the implications of this 'blank cheque' and whether it was really what he intended to propose," he said.

Khalid also asked Hadi to clarify exactly how increasing the punishments would achieve PAS' aim of strengthening the operations of the syariah courts, in line with a decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Act 355 now restricts syariah courts to dole out punishments of up to three years in jail, six strokes of the rotan and maximum fine of RM5,000.

If passed, Hadi's Bill would allow the syariah courts to mete out other punishments, including those defined in the Islamic Penal Code.

Khalid stressed that Amanah supports any effort to strengthen the syariah courts, as long as the party's questions and concerns are  satisfactorily answered.

Asked whether Amanah would formally request PAS to hold a discussion with its leaders, Khalid said Amanah just wants its questions answered, through any means.

Technical aspects

PAS information chief Nasruddin Hassan earlier today issued a statement expressing the party’s readiness to hold a special briefing for all non-Muslim MPs, besides its leaders' participation in sessions organised by other parties.

Amanah women's wing chief, Siti Mariah Mahmud, who was also present with Khalid, stressed that past briefings by PAS had not focused on technical aspects of the proposed amendments.

"This motion has caused the people to be divided. This is not good for the nation. We cannot say this is an Islamic problem and that non-Muslims have no say," she said.

On whether Amanah would vote according to the party’s stand once the amendments are debated in Parliament, Mariah said, "it (voting) has not happened yet".

Amanah had previously been accused of objecting to the proposed amendments under the influence of its Pakatan Harapan coalition partners, particularly the DAP.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom had also said that the Act 355 would not in any way affect the non-Muslims.

Jamil Khir, who is in charge of Islamic affairs, gave his personal guarantee that the amendments would only empower the syariah courts to mete out stronger punishments on laws listed under the current Act.