KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 ― Former Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and the Dewan Rakyat secretary, Datuk Roosme Hamzah, have filed preliminary objections against an originating summons by former Sungai Benut Member of Parliament Mohamed Tawfik Tun Dr Ismail over a motion by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang for amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill or RUU355.
Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan, representing Pandikar Amin and Roosme, informed this to media members after submitting on the matter before High Court judge Datuk Nordin Hassan today.
Shamsul submitted that the summons was academic in nature and there was no issue that needed to be discussed as the sessions for the 13th Parliament had ended.
“Now it’s a new Parliament and new speaker. There is no live issue for this court to decide,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Tawfik’s lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, submitted that the issue on RUU355 was not academic and should be heard by the court.
“Hadi never retracted the motion and there were talks that RUU355 would be tabled again. So, it is still ‘live issue’,” he added.
The court set Nov 14 to decide on the preliminary objections.
Last Feb 22, High Court judge Datuk Wira Kamaludin Md Said dismissed applications by Pandikar Amin and Roosme to strike out a suit on a similar issue by Mohamed Tawfik on grounds that it was under the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Mohamed Tawfik filed the originating summons on March 31 last year, seeking a declaration that the motion by Abdul Hadi to amend the law was a breach of the Federal Constitution, procedure and standing order of the Dewan Rakyat.
He also sought a declaration that the proposed amendments was not with the consent of the Conference of Rulers. ― Bernama
