KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 ― Umno’s Kelantan chapter has remained firm in its backing of the PAS-led government’s push to implement hudud in the state, despite repeated concerns raised by its coalition ally MCA against the contentious Islamic law.

In an interview with the New Straits Times (NST) published today, state Umno chief Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed pointed out that his party had already made its position clear in 1993 when the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II was being tabled in the state assembly.

That year, the then-PAS government successfully tabled and passed the enactment to implement hudud but the strict Islamic penal code has not been enforced due to conflicts with the Federal Constitution.

“The important thing now is is for us to wait for the federal-level technical committee on hudud to make its decision.

“So far, the matter is not yet finalised,” Mustapa who is also the International Trade and Industry Minister told the English daily.

The Umno leader added, however, that it was also crucial to ensure that Kelantan Umno knows the details and contents of the plan to implement hudud before it lends its full support.

There is no compromise on Islamic matters for Kelantan Umno, he reportedly said.

In May, MCA said that all parties in the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition have equal standing in response to calls it it remain silent over plans to implement hudud in Kelantan.

“While MCA and Umno may disagree over the issue, but within the BN family we operate by consensus,”  MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said in statement in May.

Ong was responding to an anonymous opinion piece published in the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) portal on May 8 where the Chinese community was urged against betraying Umno over the controversial Islamic penal code.

The article called MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong “rude” for saying that the party will reconsider its membership in the ruling coalition should Umno support PAS’s bid to implement hudud in Kelantan.

Ong, in his reply then, had also said that BNBBC should have instead asked why MCA was against the proposed Islamic criminal justice system.

“MCA’s stand against PAS hudud law has always been firm and has never changed. As such, the BNBBC should respect the fact that each component party in BN are of equal standing, and that each party has the right to state its stand, in line with the principles of democracy,”  said the Tanjung Malim MP, who is also a  BNBBC member.

Kelantan formed a hudud technical committee after the state government announced in April that it is gearing up present two Private Member’s Bills to Parliament, hoping to remove all obstacles to its implementation of the hudud law in Kelantan by 2015.

But PAS is facing unyielding resistance from its Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners PKR and DAP, and has said it hopes to get the necessary votes from Umno MPs in order to get the bill approved. The Islamist party will need a simple majority of 112 votes for this.

In Islamic jurisprudence, “hudud” covers crimes such as theft, robbery, adultery, rape and sodomy.

Punishments for the crimes are severe, including amputation, flogging and death by stoning.

Malay-Muslim activists in support of the idea have argued the enforcement of hudud is in line Article 3 in the Federal Constitution, which states that Islam is the religion of the federation.

Opponents however argue that hudud cannot be carried out in Malaysia as Islamic law is applicable only on Muslims and if enforced, would run counter to other fundamental provisions in the constitution, namely Article 8, which prescribes equality before the law for all, regardless of their religious beliefs.