Mahamad Naser Disa, now a professor and chief executive of the Institute of Islamic Strategic Research Malaysia, expressed gratitude that the proposal had been taken up by PAS.
Prof Mahamad Naser said he was a senior officer at the Attorney-General’s Chambers when he proposed increasing the powers of the Shariah Courts.
Speaking at a public forum in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, he expressed gratitude that the proposal had now been taken up by PAS, whose president, Abdul Hadi Awang, seeks to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 to provide the courts with power to impose some criminal penalties for Islamic offences.
Hadi has tabled a private member’s bill to amend the law, also known as Act 355, and it is scheduled for debate in the Dewan Rakyat this month. The bill, labelled by critics as the Hudud Bill, is opposed by the DAP and the Sarawak Barisan Nasional.
Prof Mahamad Naser said it was the late Haron Din who, as spiritual adviser to PAS, convinced some senior ministers to support the proposed amendment.
“Thank God at last there is an opposition motion from Haji Hadi,” Mahamad Naser was quoted as saying. “And thank God, from the advice given by Tok Guru Haji Haron Din, including to ministers, including to the deputy prime minister, including to the prime minister, all of them have stated their support and are ready to support although the proposal came from the Opposition,” he said, according to Malay Mail Online.
Hadi’s bill was moved up the agenda for debate in the Dewan Rakyat in May, after the government stated it had no objection, but Hadi moved to postpone the debate until the October meeting.
Prof Mahamad Naser urged Muslim politicians to set aside their political beliefs and come together to uphold Islam’s position in Malaysia together, and to disregard the fact that the parliamentary motion originated from an opposition party.
His remarks were reportedly given at a forum on “Strengthening of Shariah laws”. Also on the panel were deputy minister Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan and Parti Amanah Negara’s Wanita leader Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud.
Hadi’s bill seeks to broaden the jurisdiction of Shariah courts to enforce Islamic criminal penalties – excluding the death penalty.
The criminal jurisdiction of Shariah Courts comes from federal law and their powers are limited to imposing jail terms of up to three years, up to six strokes of the rotan, or fines up to RM5,000. However, Shariah Courts operate under state law and Kelantan has amended its state enactment to provide for Islamic criminal penalties.
Hadi’s bill is opposed by the DAP, as well as Barisan Nasional component parties MCA and the Sarawak United People’s Party. Last week, the Sarawak Barisan Nasional said they would vote against the bill, for which 122 votes are required for it to be passed by a simple majority in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat.