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Malaysia's society has no place for hudud, says Chinese association chief
Hudud has no place in Malaysian society and Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) will oppose any plans to make hudud Islamic law a reality, said party president Liow Tiong Lai
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udud has no place in Malaysian society and Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) will oppose any plans to make hudud Islamic law a reality, said party president Liow Tiong Lai.
'It goes against the very grain of the federal constitution,' he said.
He added that the federal constitution guaranteed Malaysian citizens fair treatment before the law.
If hudud is introduced, he said, it would lead to two legal systems: one for Muslims, the other for non-Muslims, resulting in a judiciary crisis.
The Kelantan government is planning to table two private bills in parliament, allowing the state to enforce hudud by early 2015.
Once implemented, crimes such as theft and liquor consumption could be punished with corporal punishment, even amputation.
Liow warned that non-Muslims might even be caught up by its implementation.
'Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) claims hudud will not impact non-Muslims,' said Liow.
'However, it contains grey and sensitive areas, which even (opposition coalition) Pakatan Rakyat cannot handle.'
He raised as examples the confiscation of Bibles by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) and the arrest of an Indonesian Christian by Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jaipp) officers for allegedly committing khalwat.
Liow claimed that this was proof that the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat government was unable to handle complicated religious issues.
At the parliament lobby yesterday, MCA deputy president Dr Wee Ka Siong said non-Muslim parliamentarians were uncomfortable with PAS' proposal, adding that all the seven Barisan Nasional MPs from MCA were ready to vote against the move.
'We call on the MPs from (opposition parties) Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to make a stand on the issue,' said the Ayer Hitam MP.
Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi said he would go along with the stand taken by DAP party stalwart and Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh to oppose hudud.
'Of course an MP can propose a private members' bill but this will have an effect on the Opposition pact. This matter should be dealt with delicately and tactfully,' he said.
PKR's Sim Tze Tzin, the Bayan Baru MP, said the Pakatan Rakyat partners had drafted a common policy framework.
'Hudud is not a part of it,' he said.
Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj, the Sungai Siput MP from PSM, said those proposing to have hudud should first assure that the rights of non-Muslims would not be impinged.
He acknowledged that the move by PAS would benefit the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and split Pakatan. (***)
