PAS Youth chief Nik Abduh Nik Aziz is hopeful that Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia will allow the motion on the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act or Act 355 to be debated.

"The speaker had allowed (the motion to be tabled in the House) twice previously and this is the continuation from the previous (parliamentary process). Meaning, this will be debated," Nik Abduh said.

"Hopefully. This will depend on the speaker. The speaker has given way (before), quite positive," the Pasir Mas MP told reporters in Parliament.

Nik Abduh also denied he felt betrayed over Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's announcement last night that the government would take over PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's Private Member's Bill on this matter.

"(I) don't feel betrayed. It's Umno's failure to assure BN component parties. PM was forced to (change stand) as BN needs to get the consensus (from its component parties)," he added.

Meanwhile, while admitting that they were disappointed with the decision, fellow PAS lawmaker Idris Ahmad said they would however pursue the passage of the bill until kiamat (doomsday).

"We hope the bill will be allowed to be debated in Parliament . We hope there will be open debates on it," he said.

No relations with Umno

Asked whether the decision would affect PAS' relationship with Umno, the PAS vice president pointed out how there was never a relationship with Umno to begin with.

"We will continue to be against umno. We are still in the opposition bloc and will fight with anyone who fights with us."

Najib, last night, said it was up to the speaker to decide whether to allow the bill to be tabled or otherwise.

Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that the government was looking to take over the bill, to the dismay of BN component parties, many of whom are opposed to it.

The motion to table the bill to amend Act 355 was first tabled by Abdul Hadi last year. However, the debate and voting for the motion was delayed until this seating at his own request.

The bill seeks to increase the penalties that the Syariah Courts can mete out, as well as expand its criminal jurisdictions over Muslims in criminal offences.

Some say this will allow states like Kelantan with existing hudud or Islamic penal code legislation to enforce harsher punishments, as previously they were bound by restrictions in Act 355.