KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — Kedah MCA deputy chairman Datuk Dr Leong Yong Kong has reversed his decision to quit the party, citing his president’s pledge to fight PAS’s bid to enhance the powers of the Shariah courts.

Leong said MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai had personally assured him that MCA would not allow PAS’s so-called hudud Bill to be passed in Parliament.

“I decided to withdraw my resignation due to the request by the grassroots in the past week,” he was quoted saying by English language daily The Star.

“I will leave it to Liow to decide on my present party post. I will also leave it to Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah to decide on my state exco post,” he added.

A day after PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s Bill arrived in Parliament last week, Leong announced his resignation from MCA, accusing it of failing to safeguard the Federal Constitution.

The tabling of the Bill was made possible by a motion from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman and the subsequent approval of Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.

PAS is seeking to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 to empower the Islamic courts to impose any punishment besides the death sentence.

The Umno minister’s move drew protest from other Barisan Nasional components who complained that they were not informed of the plan to allow PAS to table the Bill.