Hadi's Bill still needs two-thirds majority: Guan Eng

GEORGE TOWN : It is a must to garner two-thirds majority from the Parliament to make an amendment to the Federal Constitution.
Commenting on the tabling of Private Member's Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act, DAP secretary-general and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (pix) said to amend the constitution, the majority in the House must support.
At present, he said, the Islamist party has only 14 Members of Parliament (MPs) and they have no quorum to do it unless they get support from UMNO MPs.
He said it was also unacceptable for PAS to table the Private Members' Bill by getting simple majority as it still involved the constitution.
He also ticked off Barisan Nasional for supporting the Bill tabled by PAS for the first time.
He said they strongly opposed the tabling of the Bill as it was unconstitutional as one country must only have one system as enshrined in the constitution.
Lim who attended a temple function in Air Itam said they respected other religions, its laws and is not against Islam or the Syariah laws
PAS president and Marang MP Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had tabled Private Member's Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act in Dewan Rakyat last week. BN component parties had since voiced openly against the Bill.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak had clarified that it was actually a proposed amendment to existing legislation for enhancement of punishment for Syariah offences.
Lim said they severed their ties with PAS due to this and wondered why BN component parties are not doing so.