Tasik Gelugor Pas information chief Abdul Rahman Kasim has predicted there is “no way” hudud can be implemented in Kelantan now even though the Shariah Criminal Enactment bill will in all likelihood be passed in the State Assembly this week.
Pas has 31 seats in the 45-seat Kelantan State Assembly, Umno 12, PKR one, with the remaining seat presently vacant following the passing of Nik Aziz.
“I believe all the Pas elected reps have been instructed how to vote (i.e. in favour of the bill).”
As for the Umno state assembly reps, a few of them might vote for the bill while a few others might abstain, predicts Rahman, who is personally in favour of hudud.
This would easily give the hudud supporters more than a two thirds majority.
But even though the bill may be passed in the Kelantan State Assembly, the crunch will come when the federal Parliament votes on the private member’s bill to enable the implementation of hudud in Kelantan, perhaps in the next sitting in May.
In the 222-seat Parliament, if it actually comes to a vote (and that itself is a big question mark), most of the 21 Pas MPs will vote in favour of hudud, says Rahman.
Umno MPs will be allowed to vote according to their conscience. Rahman predicts that just 25 of the 88 Umno MPs will vote for the bill. The rest of the Umno MPs are likely to abstain. He believes these MPs are likely to take their cue from Najib, who had said last year several issues needed to be resolved before the law could be implemented in the country.
Moreover, Mahathir had said there would be no justice if hudud is implemented in Malaysia because it is only applicable to Muslims, and exempts non-Muslims.
As for PKR, Rahman said he expects perhaps half of the party’s 29 MPs to vote for hudud while the rest may vote against it or abstain.
The other BN component parties and DAP will not support hudud, he says.
When the numbers are added up, it would fall well short of the two thirds support (from 148 MPs) needed to amend the Federal Constitution to allow for the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.
Pas, he says, realises the numbers are not on their side, but they are using the vote this time to test the waters; “it is something like a fishing expedition.”
The party, he says, may revisit the issue in a few years time when it hopes that it can convince more of the non-Muslims to support the implementation of hudud.
“Non-Muslims have nothing to worry about now,” he quips.
Blog reader ktwong87 responds:
Abdul Rahman Kasim richly deserves the respect of a large number of non-Muslims which he earned with his mature and balanced thinking. His opinion that there is “no way hudud can be implemented in Kelantan now” is likely to be valid.
However, there are some points which have not been mentioned in this write-up:
1. Pakatan has been torn in two by Pas’ hardheaded disregard for the common policy which all three major component parties had agreed to – no pursuing of hudud until Putrajaya has been won. Hadi and his ulamas thumbed their noses at that agreement, essentially saying, “So what? We are obeying Allah, and that over-rules everything.”
2. The persistent talk that Hadi has made a unity government deal with Umno in which he gets to be DPM as well as hudud cannot be discounted. This is especially so in the light of developments after Nik Aziz’s demise.
3. Whatever the outcome of the hudud bill in Parliament, Umno has already won. The antics of Hadi and his hardline ulamas have meant that a very large number of once-supporters of Pakatan Rakyat will not vote for a Pas candidate in GE14 should Pas remain in Pakatan. If Pas leaves or is kicked out of Pakatan, then there will be many three-cornered fights involving Pas, a Pakatan candidate and an Umno/BN candidate. Umno/BN will very likely benefit from the split Opposition vote. Just look at Kota Damansara where Pas’ candidate [with the persistent support of Hadi’s son-in-law Din Ayam] caused the official Pakatan candidate to lose during GE13. The long chrished dream of so many rakyat and Pakatan itself – to kick Umno/BN out of Putraajaya – is a goner unless Hadi is booted out and somehow the damage undone.
So whatever the true intentions of Pas, this hudud fiasco is at best a sad story of foolish vanity, and at worst [and much more likely so], a story of hypocritical, self-serving, political abuse of religion.
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PM’s Office was very efficient in swiftly issuing a statement on the Federal Court’s decision to uphold DSAI’s conviction, even before sentencing.
However, it has been almost a week since PAS declared hudud implementation for Kelantan.
PM Najib has remained silent over BN’s stand on hudud implementation.
Why?
“The purpose of Umno supporting hudud’s plan is to break up Pakatan. With the tabling of the hudud bill in Kelantan, Pakatan is already at the brink of collapse,” said Dr Mohd Faisal Syam Abdol Hazis, a senior lecturer from the department of Political Studies at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).
Using religion to advance own’s political agenda is despicable.
Racial, religious and political champions are so ready and willing to save us while helping themselves and their friends (in-group). It is part of the circus to distract from other priorities such as these:
– Security: illegals, violent crime.
– Health: dengue, TB, poisons in food and water.
– Economy: illegals, jobs, pay rises, profiteering, monopolies.
– Incompetence, dereliction of duty, CBT, waste: public infrastructure, services.
– Delusion: avoidance of climate change, environmental destruction and pollution.
With GST and Hudud , Malaysians are cornered.
Can’t vote for BN and can’t vote for Pakatan….
Both are dead ends.
And when it comes to voting day , i rather stay home and surf…
The Kelantan hudud is too focus on punishment on sex crimes (that include anal sex between married couple?), and little mention on corruption offence to the delight of Umno?
Can you name one country with Islamic system that practices good governance, transparency and human rights? On another note, why would so many people from some of these countries willing to take the mortal risk by braving through the open seas in unsafe boats just to get to Christian majority countries such as Australia or Italy? Shouldn’t they stay true to their religious convictions by opting for another country with Islamic system?
If hudud were ever to see the light of day in Malaysia, we can be sure that there will be a massive outflow of investment, wealth and people from Malaysia. It is not only the locals who will leave. The international community – including foreign investors – has been more loud and vociferous in expressing concern about the growing Islamisation in the country. Despite repeated assurances by the prime minister that we are and remain a moderate Muslim country, they see actions sanctioned by the state authorities such as on the Allah issue, as evidence of hard line and conservative… Read more »
My question is this. Why is DAP so concerned about what is happening in Kelantan when they aren’t even managing Penang well (where they have a big majority)? We have environmental problems, hill problems, development problems, heritage problems, developer problems which are more pressing than some bill that will never see the light of day. Why fight over something that cannot occur? Why not handle Penang well so that it can be a model state for the whole of Msia to see? If any reporters asks, just say ‘no comment’ and no fight will occur. Let the issue die. Second… Read more »
MCA is getting more nervous now that Umno is supporting Kelantan hudud.
Umno is endorsing Kelantan’s hudud in the name of Allah. So how is MCA going to respond?
Abdul Rahman Kasim richly deserves the respect of a large number of non-Muslims which he earned with his mature and balanced thinking. His opinion that there is “no way hudud can be implemented in Kelantan now” is likely to be valid. However, there are some points which have not been mentioned in this writeup: 1. Pakatan has been torn in two by PAS’ hardheaded disregard for the common policy which all three major component parties had agreed to – no pursueing of hudud until Putrajaya has been won. Hadi and his ulamas thumbed their noses at that agreement, essentially saying,… Read more »
Good analysis, ktwong87!
Religious enlightenment only came way after the agreement? Or after reaping the GE13 fruits?
THIS complicated explanation betrays what it has been all about all along – those pushing Hudud is after its political capital among the Malays especially in Kelantan where their political capital have been losing ground for a long time already.. The problem is HOW DOES THAT MAKE THEM ANY DIFFERENT THAN UMNO? It shows PAS cannot be trusted with power, push comes to shove PAS leaders will also take care of themselves first at the expense of what the rakyat wawnts – their political expediency over the interest of the rakyat and all under the cover of religion and god… Read more »