KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 ― PKR insisted today that there are higher priorities in Islam rather than the implementation of hudud, such as striving for social justice and educating the public on the goals of an Islamic judiciary system.

Although it does not reject hudud as God’s law, PKR said it disagreed with PAS in its implementation and  had therefore directed its sole Kelantan state assemblyman against debating the amended Hudud Bill and subsequently voting for it.

“PKR believes that the struggle to correct injustice in society and to defend the welfare of the public is more important in the interest of the community,” the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) component party said in a statement today.

“This is especially so with welfare problems following the flood disaster, public pressure with regards to corruption and the abuse of administrative power against the people.”

The statement was jointly signed by party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, deputy president Azmin Ali, vice-presidents Nurul Izzah Anwar, Rafizi Ramli and Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, its Women chief Zuraida Kamaruddin, and Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously said last month that justice is a more important goal of Shariah rather than the implementation of the controversial hudud penal code.

PKR itself has always taken the politically expedient route of neither agreeing to the implementation of hudud nor disagreeing with it altogether.

“PKR expresses regret because the agreement in the PR meeting dated February 8, 2015 was not respected and this is conflicting with the consensus achieved in 2011 on this matter,” said PKR.

“While PKR respects the right and stand of Kelantan to table this enactment, it is preferable if Kelantan also respects the agreement it made at the PR level.”

The Kelantan State Legislative Assembly today passed amendments to the Shariah Criminal Code II 1993 to pave way for the controversial implementation of hudud laws in the state.

Details of the proposed amendments, however, were never made public nor did the PAS state administration share copies of the bill with their PR partners until this week.

Both PKR and DAP are opposed to ally PAS’ bid to enforce hudud in Kelantan, which has instead found support from rival Umno.