PAS has urged for its proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) to be debated in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting scheduled to begin Monday.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said today that it was "not appropriate" for debates on the bill to be left hanging because it was tabled by Marang MP and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang in April.
"Even it can't be finished in this Parliament sitting... the debate must go on till the end, in accordance with procedure.
"This is akin to a court case that has begun, cases will not be stopped until it ends with a decision from the judge.
"The difference in Parliament is that (the decision) is determined by votes from MPs," he said in a statement today.
Takiyuddin, who is Kota Bahru MP, had seconded the tabling of the amendment bill.
He argued that the amendments were urgently needed because presently the Syariah Court had "very little power".
In two minds?
Takiyuddin's position is in stark contrast to the views of PAS Ulama wing chief Mahfodz Mohamed, who previously said that the Islamist party plans to postpone debates on the bill until after the general election.
"After the general election, after we win many seats, then we can (table the bill in Parliament)," Mahfodz said previously.
In May last year, Law Minister Azalina Othman Said surprised Parliament when she requested for Hadi's bill to be prioritised above other Dewan Rakyat matters.
Hadi's bill had sought a higher punishment cap for the Syariah Court, which is currently limited to handing a maximum three years jail sentence, maximum RM5,000 fine and maximum six lashes.
The bill had sought to increase the limit to 10 years' imprisonment, RM100,000 fine and 100 lashes.
The proposed amendments have progressed slowly, with multiple deferments and an updated version was tabled in April.
It was again deferred in the previous Parliament sitting in July.-Mkini
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