June tabling for hudud bill?

The New Straits Times
By SULAIMAN JAAFAR

SEEKING EXPERTS' VIEWS: Deputy menteri besar says draft of the bill is ready

KOTA BARU: THE private bill seeking a declaration that Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II or hudud can be implemented in the state will be tabled in Parliament, the earliest by June.

Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the draft of the bill was ready and needed only experts' views for further improvement.

"We want to table it possibly this year. If there is time, it will be done in June, and if it is not possible, then, in December.

"However, we have not decided who will table the bill," he said after chairing the inaugural technical committee meeting on the enactment here yesterday.

On the much delayed meeting, Amar said it was attended by most of the 19 committee members, including state police chief Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman.

The notable absentees were former Chief Justice Tun Salleh Abbas and former International Islamic University lecturer Dr Abdul Aziz Bari.

Pengkalan Chepa Prison director Zawari Abdul Rashid did not attend the meeting but sent a representative.

The technical committee was formed in October 2011 and the first meeting was postponed several times although several forums and discussions had been held in Kuala Lumpur.

Amar said the findings made during the pre-committee meetings were tabled in yesterday's meeting and would be presented to the state executive council.

"Another suggestion made at today's meeting was to improve the enactment to clarify further several issues.

"This includes whether a rape victim, who is unable to bring four witnesses, which is virtually impossible, can be sentenced for qazaf (making false accusation).

"We will bring these issues to the state exco meeting next week."