Hudud not a part of Pakatan Rakyat's agenda - Gobind

Its deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo said the Selangor DAP will resist any such move by PAS, adding that the party had often said that any move to introduce hudud would be unconstitutional.

“The Federal Court has in Che Omar B Che Soh v PP ruled that Malaysia is governed by secular law. Clearly any move to introduce Islamic laws in this context would be unconstitutional and contrary to law,” Gobind said in a press statement, Tuesday.

He said the Islamic party needed to be reminded that hudud is not a part of the Pakatan Rakyat’s agenda as signed by the three political party leaders in 2011.

Gobind also stressed that DAP had always maintained that hudud is not suitable in a multi-racial and multi-religious country like Malaysia.

“The stand taken by the Member of Parliament for Bukit Gelugor, YB Karpal Singh reflects the official national stand of the DAP on this matter,” he added.

The latest push for hudud laws to be implemented came about after Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, the minister in charge of religious affairs, said in Parliament last month that the federal government was prepared to cooperate with any state government in enforcing hudud laws.

Subsequently, Kelantan PAS reportedly said that it was preparing a private members bill to bring to Parliament, and declared that the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment can be implemented in the state.

Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah was quoted as saying that the draft bill was ready and the earliest date for the tabling was June.