PETALING JAYA: DAP’s Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh today criticised Kelantan’s desire to move a bill in parliament to implement hudud in the state, saying the Islamic law was not suitable for the present time and age.
“The passing of the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Court Enactment II in the (Kelantan) state assembly in 1993 is, in the first place, unconstitutional,” the veteran DAP leader said in a statement.
“The state assembly has no jurisdiction to pass the enactment and Parliament cannot enforce an unconstitutional enactment passed by a state assembly,” he added.
The veteran lawmaker was responding to Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yaakob’s statement yesterday that the state will table a private member’s bill on the matter in parliament later this year.
The state enactment provides for the implementation of hudud for crimes covering theft, fornication, adultery and alcohol consumption.
Although the enactment was passed in Kelantan by the PAS-led government in 1993, it has never been enforced. Karpal said that criminal laws can only be passed by parliament and not by a state assembly.
“It is parliament which has the jurisdiction to pass criminal laws. Hudud has very serious implications and consequences. Parliament will not, and cannot, pass laws of this category,” he said.
He reiterated DAP’s stand against the implementation of hudud in Malaysia.
“The DAP’s position on hudud has been made clear time and again and that stand cannot be subjected to any compromise.
“It is fundamental to the party’s existence. The passing of such a law will not be in the national interest,” said Karpal.
