Outdated constitution needs to be reviewed, says Hadi

KUALA LUMPUR: It is time for some of the provisions in the Federal Constitution to be reviewed as most of them are outdated, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said.
He said among the laws that need to be updated is the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, or commonly known as Act 355, which PAS has sought to amend.
The Marang MP added Malaysia has been referring to a set of laws that was drafted more than half a century ago when the country was about to gain its independence.
"Years after achieving our independence, it is time for us to take a look and review the archaic constitution," he said.
"The Act 355 should have supposedly been amended a long time ago, and that is why we had decided to conduct a discussion (to amend the act)," he said in his speech at the Act 355 Rally in Padang Merbok on Saturday night.
The private member's bill brought by Hadi in the Parliament seeks to increase the punishments that could be meted out by syariah courts under the act, which was last updated in 1984.
The amendment had since drawn flak from politicians and human rights activists, with many criticising it as a backdoor attempt from PAS to implement hudud law in Kelantan.
Abdul Hadi in his speech in front of thousands of supporters stressed that the gathering was not held to serve any political purposes.
"This gathering is not for the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak) and not for the PAS president. It is held to fulfill the order of Allah," he said.
He assured that any improvement to the syariah laws would not implicate the non-Muslims, as forcing Islamic regulations on the group is against the teachings of Islam and the constitution.
"This matter will not touch the rights of the non-Muslims as according to the constitution, syariah courts are under the Islamic jurisdiction," he said.
"It cannot punish the non-Muslims. This is not merely empty talk. This is the order stated in the Al-Quran," he added.
He also said the Muslims in Malaysia had never forbidden non-Muslims from practicing their religions, and celebrations and rituals of other faiths were observed without any prejudice.
"Therefore, there is no reason for the non-muslims to oppose the Act 355 amendment. There is no reason for them to oppose matters concerning Islam," he added.
"Rather than ridiculing the attempt to strengthen the syariah courts, it is better for you to discuss the outdated laws that are still being practiced," Abdul Hadi said.