Respect Muslims’ right to Shariah, PAS non-Muslim wing tells MCA

(MMO) – PAS’ non-Muslim wing told MCA’s Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker today to respect the rights of Muslims to champion their religious obligations, including the Islamist party’s bid to enhance Shariah court’s powers.

In a statement, PAS Supporters Congress’s national information chief Dr Balachandran G Krishnan said no Muslim politicians can go against the Shariah, while the truth can only “prevail” if the Islamic code and laws are implemented.

“Where an explicit command of Allah or His Prophet already exist, no Muslim leader or legislator, or any religious scholar can form a judgement, not even all the Muslims of the world put together have any right to make the least alterations in it.

“Let the truth prevail. The truth will only prevail when the Shariah is implemented,” he said.

Balachandran said the party is merely within their “moral and religious obligations” to pursue the amendments for Shariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.

“Religious harmony can only be attained first, if we respect the belief and obligation of one’s religion. This in turn would allow us to be respected by others,” he said.

“How is the amendments going to affect all Malaysians is something that we have to wait and see. We tend to be jumping the gun and creating a lot of unpleasantness for peace loving Malaysians (Muslims and Non Muslims) with statements based on perception.”

Balachandran added that in commenting on such issue, it was crucial to differentiate a religious issue from political one, claiming that the Shariah legal system is based on the Quran and Sunnah — the documented practice of Prophet Muhammad.

On Thursday, the MCA’s Religious Harmony Bureau chairman Ti urged Malaysians must be allowed to discuss the amendments proposed by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang as the law would inevitably influence the lives of all Malaysians and not just Muslims.

Hadi last month tabled his Private Member’s Bill to amend the Shariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 and allow Islamic courts to impose any penalty save for the death sentence.

Umno and PAS have both insisted that the Bill is not for hudud and restricted only to Kelantan.

However, Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah revealed that the true intention of Hadi’s Bill is not simply to enhance the punitive powers of the east coast state’s Islamic courts but to ensure the same for all states nationwide.