KOTA BARU, March 18 — Hudud will ensure justice for all in Kelantan as they were ordained by Allah and those who vilify the Islamic law are immoral liars, Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob said today as he tabled amendments to a state enactment that could see the controversial penal code enforced in the state.
In an apparent bid to counter claims that hudud would affect the state’s non-Muslims, Ahmad also pointed out that Section 2 of the Shariah Criminal Code II (Enactment 1993) clearly states that the law will only apply to Muslims.
“This law is certain to bring equal justice for all as it is a law designed by Allah the Great and Wise.
“Those who accused the law as inhumane are liars and such accusations are made by those immoral,” he told the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly.
As such, Ahmad said non-Muslims should stop opposing PAS’ plan to implement hudud.
The Islamist party is facing stiff opposition from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) allies the DAP to its plan to roll out the Islamic penal law in Kelantan.
The latter has argued that hudud violates the secular Federal Constitution and that the issue was never agreed upon by PR as reflected in its absence in the pact’s common policy framework.
But Ahmad today argued that PAS as an Islamist party has the duty to execute Allah’s order and implement the law.
“We have always been about Islamic governance and the Shariah enactment was drafted in accordance with Islamic teaching.
“This issue is not new,” he said.
Today’s legislative amendments were tabled despite repeated objections from both PAS’ PR allies in DAP and PKR.
The Islamist party also reportedly plans to table two private members’ bills on the same matter in Parliament sometime later this month which, if passed, will enable Kelantan to implement the criminal justice system.
Details of today’s proposed amendments were only shared with DAP and PKR last week during a PR presidential council meeting.
At the meeting, the council told PAS to “reconsider” its amendments, with one DAP man telling the Islamist party that the proposed changes were entirely a new piece of legislation instead of minor updates to the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code II (Enactment 1993) as previously claimed.
