Hadi breaks his silence on hudud

PETALING JAYA: After a long silence, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has come forward to provide an explanation to the public on the controversy surrounding the planned implementation of hudud in Kelantan.
In an open letter posted on his Facebook page, Abdul Hadi questioned Muslims who had repeatedly given excuses against the implementation of hudud, by using Islamic terms to justify their excuses.
"In discussing heavy issues, it is improper if one wants to act like a parrot that can only repeat words taught by its master … without understanding the meaning," he said.
He said hudud is easily targeted by critics because many thought that the punishments based on Islamic law are violent.
But he cited civil laws which prescribed "outdated" punishments such as hanging to death and whipping.
Abdul Hadi said the private member's bill proposed by PAS is not a hudud bill, but amendments to the Syariah Courts Act (Criminal Jurisdiction) 1965, which is only applicable to Muslims.
"We are knowledgeable, civilised and mature beings. Therefore, listen first to what we are proposing," he said.
"Don't just jump to conclusions and criticise without knowing the whole story," he added.
Abdul Hadi said various seminars and dialogues had been held for the public to understand before the hudud enactment was brought to the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly.
"The enactment was first brought to the assembly in 1993 and later in Terengganu in 2003," he said.
He added that after 20 years since the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (11) was introduced by PAS, the party wants to take the next step – to educate society on the laws of Islam in a holistic way.
"The enactment is undergoing fine-tuning ... and (is) meant for Muslims only ..." he added.
Meanwhile, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal today lodged a police report denying that a statement had been issued expressing the stand of the Conference of Rulers on the proposed implementation of hudud in Kelantan.
Datuk Seri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad said the report was made at the Jalan Travers police station to state that reports on the matter were untrue, Bernama reported.
"The Conference of Rulers has never discussed the matter at its meetings. The office (of the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal) did not issue a press statement dated March 25 on the matter," he said in a statement today.
A news portal had published a report linking the Conference of Rulers to the hudud law in Kelantan, and it went viral on the Internet.