KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government has said it would table legal amendments to enable the enforcement of hudud and is currently in talks with the PAS-ruled Kelantan government on this, PAS MP Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz asserted today.

Nik Mohamad Abduh said PAS is currently leaving the push for conferring greater powers to the Shariah court to a joint committee involving both the federal and Kelantan governments.

“Datuk Seri Jamil Khir (Baharom) has recently said that the government is prepared to bring the amendments to Act 355, so that is still under discussion and we will see later,” the Pasir Mas MP told reporters here.

“As what the King said, enhancing Islamic laws, Islam as the official religion, so the amendment to Act 355 is part of the strengthening of Islam as the official religion in our country,” he added.

The PAS Youth chief was asked if the Islamist party would table a private members’ bill during this Parliament meeting to boost the Shariah courts’ powers to impose higher penalties, necessary for the introduction of the Islamic penal code.

To implement hudud in Kelantan, PAS previously sought to amend the Shariah Court Act (Criminal Jurisdiction) 1965 or Act 355, which currently only allows the Shariah courts to mete out punishments limited to RM3,000 fine, five years’ jail and six strokes of caning.

Nik Abduh said PAS may act on its own if the federal government was found to be too slow in seeking Parliament’s nod for the legal changes, but did not give a cut-off time.

He also said he was uncertain if royal consent for the legal amendments has been obtained as it did not fall under his duty.

Earlier today, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah said he hoped measures will be taken soon to strengthen religious institutions and enhance the administration of Islamic laws by empowering the Shariah courts.

PAS is seeking to remove legal barriers to its enforcement of hudud in Kelantan, which eventually led to the breakup of the Pakatan Rakyat pact due to disagreements with former allies PKR and DAP.

Its efforts instead found support from rival Umno, which is continuing to court the Islamist party on the basis of Muslim cooperation.