KUALA SELANGOR, June 4 — Implementing hudud has not been an overnight wish but a 60-year long process for PAS, its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said today at the Islamist party’s 61st annual congress here.
In his keynote address, Hadi said implementing hudud must be carried out now because the people today yearn for a “return to Islam”.
“It is absolutely untrue when some parties who do not understand the history and policies of PAS, that PAS is being hasty in taking steps towards implementing this teaching of Allah,” Hadi told the 1,000-strong crowd.
“The PAS-led Kelantan state government must work towards this agenda because of the urging of the public who wants to return to Islam, because Islam is the right of all its followers, and the people who want to see it,” he added.
According to Hadi, PAS has started discussing hudud even from the 1950s, before passing the Shariah enactment in 1993.
“To those who don’t understand, don’t just read about PAS history only starting from 1990 or 1999,” he said.
Hadi also claimed that hudud is all the more needed now since the public is plagued by crime and moral depravity that cannot be tackled by human laws.
“Put aside those who are stubborn in opposing Allah although they have sunk together with the signs of destruction,” said the Marang MP.
On March 19, the Kelantan state assembly approved the Shariah Criminal Code (II) (1993) 2015 Enactment with 31 votes from PAS lawmakers supported by 12 from Umno.
PAS is now seeking to debate two private members’ bills in Parliament to enable Kelantan to enforce the Islamic criminal code widely called hudud ― one will seek approval for the state to legislate punishment for crimes under the Penal Code.
