GE14 | Muslims in the country have been urged to vote for PAS in the coming general election to ensure that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's motion gets to be debated in the next parliamentary session.

The party's Rantau Panjang MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof said the motion would be debated until it is passed and becomes law if PAS is given the mandate to govern the country.

Hadi's motion seeks to introduce a Private Member's Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, or Act 355.

“PAS has done its best - Hadi had tabled the motion last year.

“We continued with the motion until yesterday and PAS MP Takiyuddin Hassan had sought Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia's clarification whether the motion will be carried forward to the next parliamentary session after the 14th general election,” Siti Zailah was quoted as saying by PAS mouthpiece Harakah.

The motion, she added, was no longer under the purview and should have already been debated by the lawmakers.

Pandikar yesterday refused to confirm what would happen to the motion.

"In the new Parliament, I don't know who will sit on the right side (government) or who will sit on the left side (opposition).

"Even if I make a ruling now, my ruling will not be relevant," Pandikar said.

Whether the motion is carried forward or otherwise is important for PAS as the motion had already been tabled last year and only requires debate. This gives it priority over other non-government business.

Hadi's private member's bill seeks to increase the syariah punishment under Act 355 from three years' imprisonment, RM5,000 fine and six strokes of the rotan to 10 years' imprisonment, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the rotan.

This would allow states to impose punishments for certain offences that are consistent with hudud requirements.