KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Utusan Malaysia expressed hope today that Putrajaya’s decision to expedite the tabling of PAS’ hudud Bill would bring “significant meaning” to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) cooperation with the Islamist party.
Writing under the pseudonym Awang Selamat, the Umno-owned daily’s editors also said the cooperation demonstrates political maturity between the two and how both were willing to cast aside their ideological differences to strike consensus on certain issues.
“Awang hopes that this Bill will bring significant meaning to the cooperation between PAS and BN, especially when facing issues of common interest.
“It also shows a political maturity that transcends ideological boundaries,” the editors said.
They noted that the Private Members’ Bill on hudud was eventually deferred yesterday at the request of its proposer PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, but said what was most important was the preparedness of the Dewan Rakyat to debate the matter.
The editors said that Abdul Hadi, as the leader of PAS, would have had sufficient time to explain the amendments to the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 mooted in the Bill, which seeks to empower the Islamic courts to impose any punishment besides the death sentence.
They added that although the Bill was not debated yesterday, PAS has proven itself consistent in its bid to implement hudud, pointing out that yesterday’s attempt to move the matter through Parliament was after several previous tries.
“PAS wants to prove its intention (to introduce hudud) is not just political talk. PAS would surely be opposed by the opposition coalition especially by the DAP,” the editors wrote.
“It is hoped that in the coming session, members of parliament would pay close attention to the Bill to ensure they are clear on the topics raised,” they added.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of parliamentary affairs Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said yesterday motioned to expedite the tabling of Hadi’s Bill, which was the 15th and final item in the Parliament’s order papers for the day, catching lawmakers from both sides of the aisle by surprise.
Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia approved the motion, and described his decision as a precedent that allowed the tabling of an opposition lawmaker’s Bill that would otherwise “never see the light of day”.
But the decision triggered a bizarre and surprising response from Abdul Hadi.
When asked by a smiling Pandikar if he wished to have his Bill debated yesterday or in the next sitting in October, Abdul Hadi requested his motion — which twice failed to make it to Dewan Rakyat — be deferred.
