No tabling does not mean government rejects RUU 355 Bill

Although the Government has decided not to discuss the Federal Government-led Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction Act) amendments or RUU 355 at the Parliament, it did not necessarily mean the government has rejected the Act.

The RUU 355 bill remained a private Bill that will be debated openly in Dewan Rakyat.

Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister Office, Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said that RUU 355 is an act that was introduced in 1965 before it was amended and had remained as a Federal act.

Therefore, he said, there is no issue about the Government rejecting the Act as it belonged to the Government.

“Anyone should not say that the government has rejected RUU 355, it is not appropriate as the act was introduced in 1965, and the first amended made in 1985 and in 1989 for the second time, and it has remained a Federal government act. There is mo way an Act introduced by the government got rejected by the government,” said Asyraf.

Asyraf was speaking to reporters after attending Multaqa Murabbi Ummah (Perak level) here today. The event was also attended by Perak Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir.

The proposed amendments were first put forward by Abdul Hadi through a Private Member’s Bill last year.

The amendments have been listed seventh in the Order Paper of the current Parliament meeting.