Act 355: PAS Youth agrees Covid-19 bills should be priority
PAS Youth chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin said bills related to the Covid-19 outbreak need to be prioritised over a bill to give the Syariah Courts more powers.
Speaking to Sinar Harian recently, Khairil said PAS Youth had discussed the matter with Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan and was briefed on government plans regarding impending bills...
PAS Youth chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin said bills related to the Covid-19 outbreak need to be prioritised over a bill to give the Syariah Courts more powers.
Speaking to Sinar Harian recently, Khairil said PAS Youth had discussed the matter with Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan and was briefed on government plans regarding impending bills.
"There's a need for prioritisation. Now, we need bills on Covid-19... That is the basis," he said.
He affirmed that PAS intends to pursue the matter and ensure that Syariah Courts are granted more powers.
"These are among the measures we are taking to ensure corrective action and consequence management for Muslims who break the law.
"I repeat… for Muslim offenders," he said.
In April 2017, the BN-administration allowed Marang MP and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to table a private members' bill seeking the amendment of the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, otherwise known as Act 355. This bill has yet to be debated.
Now that PAS is part of the Perikatan Nasional government, they have been facing pressure to follow through with the bill.
Initially, Hadi was seeking amendments to Act 355 which would remove all the penalty caps that could be imposed by Syariah Courts.
Only two states - Kelantan and Terengganu - currently have Syariah courts that impose corporal punishments, including death sentences.
Eventually, Hadi had to amend the bill to increase the limit of the current penalty caps (three years jail, RM5,000 fine and six lashes) to 30 years jail, RM100,000 fine and 100 lashes.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.