Amanah’s double-stand on the Shariah Amendment Bill

Amanah accused of secretly supporting the bill but was opposing it to appease non-Muslim voters

(FMT) – Amanah has rejected an accusation that it is playing politics in its show of opposition to proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act.

“The debate on the bill has not even taken place yet,” said the party’s deputy president, Salahuddin Ayub, in response to Malaysian Muslim Solidarity (Isma) deputy president Aminuddin Yahya, who said at a recent forum that Amanah was secretly supportive of the bill but was opposing it to appease non-Muslim voters.

Salahuddin told FMT the question of Amanah’s opposition to the amendments was irrelevant since PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had not even tabled his private member’s bill.

“Twice the parliament speaker asked him whether he wanted to table his bill and twice he said he would do so at the next sitting,” he pointed out.

“This is not something you can talk about over a cup of coffee or at an ordinary forum.

“Once you table the bill, then there’s content and only then can we debate it. We haven’t even debated it. How can you see whether we agree or disagree?”

Last Thursday, at a forum organised by PAS organ Harakah, PAS Supporters’ Wing representative Balachandran G Krishnan pointed out that non-Muslim MPs did not object to the introduction of the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act in 1965 or its first amendment in 1984.

However, he added, they were now taking the cue from Muslim MPs who had indicated opposition to Hadi’s proposed amendments.

Salahuddin said: “The problem is that PAS’ attempt at bringing about the amendments this time around is very confusing, including to the Muslims. And most Malaysians think it may be politically motivated.

“That was why our Kota Raja MP (Siti Mariah Mahmud) submitted a motion calling for the proposed amendments to be made very clear so as to avoid confusion.

“If you can clearly explain and prove to us that the amendments are only to empower shariah courts, then there will be no objection from either Muslim or non-Muslim MPs, as was the case for the amendment in 1984.”