PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan said Putrajaya's decision not take over the bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 would not affect his party. 

In a statement today, Nasrudin said what this meant was that the bill was now back to square one - in which it remains a private member's bill to be tabled by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

"The situation now is that we are going back to the original format. All PAS MPs have been on 'standby mode' to handle the debates.

"Had it been a government bill, then it would have been given priority. If PAS tables it, it will be a Private Member's Bill and its position (in the order paper) would be decided by the Dewan Rakyat speaker," he said.

The BN supreme council resolved at its meeting last night that Putrajaya will not take over Hadi's bill, in line with BN's consensus model. 

Prime Minister and BN leader Najib Abdul Razak said the fate of Hadi's bill was now left to the Dewan Rakyat speaker. 

Najib did not specify how Umno MPs - who form the bulk of BN's Muslim lawmakers - would vote on the Act 355 amendment bill.

Either way, critics will criticise

Nasrudin said his party's enemies had quickly pounced on the latest development by claiming that Umno and BN had "played out" PAS.

"I'm not sure which version is correct. If PAS tables the bill, they will say PAS is being used by Umno and BN, that the government should table it in Parliament if Umno supported it.

"But when Putrajaya said it would take over the bill, (critics also) claimed that PAS has been tricked by Umno. To (our enemies), everything we do is wrong," Nasrudin said.

He said PAS' position on the matter has not wavered and its preparation for the bill remains unaffected.

"Putrajaya tried to take over, mid-way. PAS has no issues with who tables it. What is important is that Act 355 must be amended.

"In the end, they could not take over. We are going back to the old format. God willing, PAS will continue to march towards our destination," Nasrudin added.

'We will never stop'

Similarly, PAS Youth chief Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz said BN's inability to take over the bill had proven PAS' wisdom in pursuing it as a Private Member's Bill. 

"As what an Umno lawmaker told the Kelantan state legislative assembly before, only PAS is capable and ready. Umno is not capable. 

"What Umno is capable of now is to support (us) in the effort to empower Islam and its laws. This is our responsibility," Nik Abduh said in a statement today. 

He said PAS had once welcomed BN's initiative to take over the bill.

"BN's attempt to take over the bill was its initiative. This had nothing to do with PAS. PAS welcomed it because it made our righteous efforts easier.

"Islam requires us to choose the easier path when it is available. What is prohibited is stopping our journey if there is no easy path.

"PAS will never stop if there is no easy path," Nik Abduh said.