KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21: PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s controversial bid to empower Shariah courts to mete out harsher punishments is back for the seventh time in the Order Paper for Parliament, reports The Malay Mail.
Hadi’s parliamentary motion, which contains the private member’s Bill for the proposed change, is listed as the fifth item in the Order Paper when Parliament reconvenes on Monday.
For Monday, Hadi’s motion is listed directly after four government Bills that are in the queue for second reading and debate.
It is unclear if Hadi’s parliamentary motion will actually be debated during this 25-day Dewan Rakyat meeting, which is also the last of the year, as the Budget 2018 is expected to be tabled this Friday with debates expected to take up most of the time.
Hadi’s parliamentary motion proposes his private member’s Bill — also known as RUU355 — to increase the Shariah courts’ sentencing limits to 30 years’ jail, RM100,000 fine and 100 lashes.
The current maximum penalties under the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 are three years’ jail, RM5,000 fine and six lashes.
Hadi’s motion has yet to advance to the second reading and debate phase.
