Despite BN parties' objections to the government taking over PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's amendments to the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or Act 355, cabinet did not discussed the matter.

“There’s no new development on the Act 355 Bill. It was not brought up in today’s (Friday) meeting,” Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai was reported by The Star today as saying.

“MCA has already engaged the Chinese community and we have made our views known to the prime minister on the issue.

“We are against the RUU 355 Bill which is proposed by Hadi as it goes against the spirit of the Federal Constitution,” said Liow.

According to The Star, Liow went on to meet with MCA heads and Chinese associations in his office to discuss the bill, which Hadi tabled in 2015 after Kelantan unanimously passed its hudud enactment with a state assembly dominated by PAS and Umno assemblypersons.

MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong, MCA secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan and repre­sentatives of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Indus­try of Malaysia, Federation of Hokkien Associations Malaysia and the Federation of Chinese Associa­tions Malaysia were at the meeting.

The English daily said MCA is expected to issue a statement on the meeting later.

MCA had fiercely objected to Hadi's bill as it would allow Kelantan to implement its hudud laws.

However, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in last May's parliamentary session ordered the motion on the bill to be moved up the order papers, following which Liow, Wee and several other BN ministers threatened to quit the cabinet if the bill is passed.

Najib sprang a further surprise by announcing the government will take over the tabling of Hadi's bill.

The bill is seventh in the order paper of the current Parliament session.