KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 ― The Kelantan government has postponed the state legislative assembly's special sitting to table and pass amendments to the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code Enactment II on Monday, amid a flood crisis that has left thousands of victims stranded across eight states.
Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob told Malay Mail Online that this was because many state assemblymen were currently busy with relief efforts in their respective constituencies.
“I just made the announcement. The flood situation in Kelantan does not permit all assemblymen to be able to be present.
“It is a difficult time. We have postponed the sitting to a later date which will be announced,” he said when contacted on the phone.
The Kelantan MB also said a state-wide special holiday would be declared tomorrow as a sign of respect towards the thousands of victims affected by the monsoon floods.
The special assembly was to have allowed PAS to initiate its plan to table in Parliament a private member’s bill to amend the Federal Constitution, which would subsequently allow Kelantan to implement hudud law in the state.
This is despite vehement protests from PAS’s allies in PR, and the stand-off has even led to predictions from politicians within that pact that the controversy could potentially cause a break-up.
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.
