PAS to table RUU355 as private members bill

KUALA LUMPUR: The government's flip-flop on the motion on Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act does not affect PAS' effort to push it on its own.
Stating this, PAS Youth chief Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz (PAS-Pasir Mas) said the party would proceed with its initial plan of tabling it as a private member's bill.
"We don't feel betrayed.
"It just shows that Umno has failed to convince other Barisan Nasional component parties as they need a consensus in decision making, so Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has no choice," he told reporters outside the Parliament building today.
Najib announced on Wednesday that the government will not table the motion on RUU355, which was tabled by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS-Marang) last year.
"But this doesn't affect our struggle at all. We will stick to our initial plans as the bill remains a private member's bill, and we hope Speaker (Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia) will allow our motion to be debated," Nik Abduh said.
However, PAS vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad (PAS-Bukit Gantang) expressed his disappointment at Umno's stand.
"Yes, we are disappointed. It should not have happened," he told reporters.
When asked if BN's decision would affect PAS' relationship with Umno, Idris said there was never any relationship between the two parties.
"We never had any relationship with Umno and will continue to be against Umno. We are still in the opposition bloc and will fight with anyone who fights with us," he said.
Najib's announcement came as a U-turn to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's announcement last week that the government would adopt Hadi's motion.
Meanwhile Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri said PAS may need to amend certain parts of RUU355.
She said there was no way for BN to support the motion without getting thorough explanations as it would disappoint the constituents.
"I'm a Muslim but I must remember that there are a lot of non-Muslims who might not understand the bill. Even people like us have not been given enough explanation. How can we support it?
"By supporting in parliament, our people (voters) may think that we are disappointing them. They have given us this chance to do the part we have to play in parliament," Nancy said.
Raja Kamarul Bahrin (Amanah- Kuala Terengganu) said PAS leaders should not forget the advice of the late PAS spiritual leader Datuk Seri Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat to not trust Umno.
"The question of if Umno has been playing around with PAS has been answered now … it has become a reality today. The question is why did PAS allow this to happen," he said.