Resign threats an insult to Agong, says Perkasa

Malay rights pressure group Perkasa said any threat to resign from cabinet over the hudud is a threat to the Agong, as head of Islam in the country.

This comes after MIC, MCA and Gerakan members on the cabinet threatened to quit if the law is changed to pave the way for hudud to be implemented in Malaysia.

Perkasa Islamic bureau chief Amini Amir Abdullah said the resignation threats also hints of a "conspiracy" with DAP.

"Why must the govenrment be pressured? Isn't it better to discuss this behind close doors without threats to resign?

"Any threat to the Malaysian government on the issue of Islam is an insult and a sign of disrespect to the Agong as head of religion, and shows lack of understanding of Islam's position as the religion of the federation," he said in a statement.

He added that the Private Member's Bill, which PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang wants to table, only applies to syariah courts and do not affect non-Muslims.

"We hope Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak does not budge (on this matter)," he said.Last Thursday, the government tabled a motion to allow Hadi's Private Member's Bill to be given priority ahead of government business in the Dewan Rakyat.

However, Hadi sought that his bill be read for first reading in the next session in October, as it was already the tail end of the second session.

Hadi's Bill is to amend Act 355, which deals with syariah court jurisdictions, to raise the threshold of penalties which can be meted out by the court.

If passed, if paves the way for the hudud in Kelantan, where an enactment involving hudud punishments has been passed by the state legislative assembly.- Mkini