DPM repeats reassurances on private member's bill following threats by political allies

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today again assured non-Muslims that the private member's bill would not affect them and only involved the Muslims.
His assurance comes following threats by several Barisan Nasional component leaders today that they would resign their Cabinet positions if the bill was passed.
The three are MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (who is transport minister), MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam (who is health minister) and Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong (minister in the Prime Minister's Department).
"Amendments to the Syariah Court Bill (Criminal Jurisdiction) in Kelantan and will not affect the non-Muslims as even if amended it would only involve Muslims, and furthermore, it had yet to be presented for debate in parliament.
"Before a bill could be approved and enforced, it must go through seven stages which included gaining the approval of the parliament, senate and the Conference of Rulers.
"All the processes involved would take a long time, and would only be implemented in Kelantan. I hope that non-Muslims will not worry too much of the Bill introduced by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (Marang Member of Parliament and PAS president)," said Zahid.
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak had earlier said that the amendments are not the Hudud Law and merely an advanced punishment like increasing "rotan".
This, he assured involves the Syariah court and only Muslims and has nothing to do with other religions.
United Sabah People's Party president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup even cautioned that Sabahans and Sarawakians may demand to split from peninsular Malaysia if the proposed amendments are passed in Parliament.
Kurup who is also minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of national unity said the Bill risked dividing East and West Malaysia and called for its withdrawal.
Trying to ease rising tension over the bill, Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said today urged all parties not to jump to conclusion over the proposed amendment.
He said the bill tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on May 26 should not be a subject of baseless speculations without giving PAS the chance to give a detailed explanation on the proposed amendments.
"He (Hadi) still needs to table the bill for further readings, if the members in the house find the amendments are against the interests of the Muslims or it is imposed on non-muslims, definitely the house will not allow the bill to be passed," he said in a statement here today.
Tiong said as long as the bill fell within the ambit of the country's constitution then it should be given the right to be heard and debated at the Dewan Rakyat before being approved or rejected.
As for the allegation that Umno supported hudud implementation by giving Hadi's proposal a greenlight, he dismissed such accusation as the amendment had nothing to do with hudud.
So far SPDP, one of the state BN component parties, is the only multiracial BN component party that had yet to reject the proposed amendment despite four BN parties namely MCA, MIC, SUPP and Gerakan having rejected it.
Former MIC president, Datuk Seri G. Palanivel meanwhile, said the bill should not be allowed to create a divide in the long-established BN.
Palanivel, who is the Cameron Highlands MP said it was a very serious matter and the government and MPs should thoroughly debate it.
"While BN represents the multi-ethnic people of Malaysia, it is important that all interests are fully taken care of," he said in a statement on Monday.
MCA Religious Harmony Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker took a swipe at the DAP saying the time has come for DAP to either quit from all the executive councillors posts in Selangor or call for the removal of PAS exco members.