KUCHING: Hudud would never be practiced in Sarawak, says Adenan Satem, the state’s chief minister, after a leadership meeting of the ruling Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu.
“We will not support the so-called hudud bill. We are a multi-racial country. Muslims only constitute 25 percent (of Sarawak’s population). We are not Kelantan,” he said after chairing a meeting of the PBB supreme council.
“But anyway, on principle, we are against the hudud bill.”
He was referring to a private member’s bill brought to Parliament by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, which was scheduled for debate in the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday after the government made no objection. However Hadi requested that the debate be deferred to the next meeting in October.
The bill seeks parliamentary approval to amend federal law and allow Kelantan’s syariah courts to impose Islamic criminal penalties under state law, such as whipping for adultery. It has faced resistance from both Barisan Nasional and opposition leaders.
Five political parties in Sabah and Sarawak have stated their opposition to the bill while Sarawak PAS commissioner Jofri Jaraiee said that the state chapter of the party supported Hadi’s move. He said non-Muslim legislators should not interfere with the bill as they would be interfering in the affairs of Islamic religious law.