Ex-IGP warns of PAS’ tactic to slowly push for hudud law
(The Star) – Enhancing the syariah law is just a “tactic” for PAS to push hudud (punishment under Islamic law) bit by bit to be implemented later on, said former IGP Tan Sri Rahim Noor.
He expressed concern about the multi-cultural fabric of the country and the effect on Sabah and Sarawak if PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang’s Private Member’s Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act is passed in parliament.
“They say the Bill is not to uphold hudud but only to enhance the syariah, such as the status of the Syariah Court and the punishment.
“But we can see from the reaction of the handful of PAS leaders that it is just a tactic.
“But I feel after this Bill is passed, hudud will be the next step they would be pushing for.
“They (PAS) know they can’t get a Bill on hudud passed straightaway so they have to do it slowly. It is political game,” he said in an interview.
Rahim said some believed hudud was what was prescribed in Islam, so “the pressure will keep building up” if parliament passes Hadi’s Private Member’s Bill.
He said that this could also trigger anxiety and fear among non-Muslims in the country, including Sabah and Sarawak that have a sizeable population of non-Muslim bumiputra such as the Kadazandusun, Murut and Iban.
“This is not a good sign. It can jeopardise our national integration. I feel the government should be firm and stress that hudud cannot be implemented in this country because it contravenes the Federal Constitution, ” said Rahim, who was IGP from Jan uary 1994 to January 1999.
He said those who argue non-Muslims need not be concerned because the law would not affect them have a skewed view of things.
“This is a big deal and a question of criminal justice. It has an impact on our spirit of togetherness because all citizens should be treated equally under the law.
We can’t have a Muslim charged and punished under hudud for a sexual offence and the non-Muslim partner gets a civil sentence. So this law affects everybody,” he said.
He also feared it might push leaders from Sabah and Sarawak to split from Malaysia, not wanting to be part of such a deal as this was not what they agreed to when they came to form Malaysia in 1963.
“People forget that Sabah and Sarawak were never part of British Malaya and Singapore.
“They never wanted Islam to be stated as the religion of the country, but they compromised and agreed to it.
“And don’t forget Islam is the religion of the country. It is not the official religion of the country. There is a big difference,” he said.
Rahim said he believed in speaking his mind and was definitely against hudud.
“We already have a system in place. No one has criticised our present system as being archaic or creating injustice. So I don’t see the need for another system,” he added.
Rahim said there was also uncertainty as to how Hadi’s Private Member’s Bill would affect the police if it gets passed in parliament.
