KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — MCA clarified today that the party continues to reject PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s Bill to upgrade Shariah courts, even after it was amended when it was read Thursday.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) component party said the Bill runs counter to the Federal Constitution, and its opposition to the Bill has nothing to do with its so-called Islamic element.
“MCA remains firmly opposed to any Bill which it believes to run counter of the spirit and letter of our Federal Constitution. As Hadi’s Bill now stands, we regard it to be in such a position.
“Our opposition has nothing to do with the fact that it is deemed an ‘Islamic’ Bill. We deny categorically that we oppose Islamic-type enactments. It has never been in our agenda,” MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said in a statement.
Liow said MCA has never touched the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also known as Act 355, ever since it was passed.
“Our position has remained the same ever since this issue surfaced and we want to make crystal clear that we will not entertain any more speculations on this subject,” Liow said.
Liow’s remark came after conflicting media reports about MCA’s opposition towards the Bill.
He had previously reiterated that he will resign from the Cabinet if Abdul Hadi’s Shariah Bill is passed.
While the old version of the bill, tabled in May, did not specify the extent of powers it proposed to expand for the courts, the newer version today proposed to increase the courts’ maximum punishment limit to 30 years prison, 100 lashes and a fine of RM100,000.
BN ethnic Indian-majority component MIC had also clarified that it continues to oppose the Bill even after Thursday’s amendment.
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