In a statement today, Lim urged Barisan Nasional leaders to confirm whether there had been a “consensus” reached among the ruling coalition that the motion to table Hadi’s bill would not receive priority over government bills.
The Dewan Rakyat begins its Budget meeting on Monday, with the 2017 Budget and four other government bills listed on the Order Paper. In addition there are 27 motions by various MPs.
Hadi’s motion is listed as No 4 among the 27 motions. He seeks the approval of the House to table a bill to amend the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act, to provide state syariah courts with the power to impose criminal penalties for Islamic offences.
Lim questioned what MCA president Liow Tiong Lai had meant about a 13-party Barisan Nasional “consensus” not to allow Hadi’s motion to have priority over government business, as happened in May.
He said Barisan Nasional leaders should not find any difficulty in announcing the nature of their “consensus” and questioned why BN leaders should be involved in a “cloak-and-dagger operation” and whether they had something to hide.