Press Statement by the DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bagan, Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on 23.11.2016
MCA, MIC, Gerakan And SUPP Should Withdraw From BN Following BN’s Endorsement Of Hudud-Like Laws Under The PAS Proposed Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) That Will Remove The Present Punishment Cap To Raise The Punishment To 30 Years’ Jail, RM100,000 Fine And 100 Times Of Whipping.
MCA, MIC, Gerakan and SUPP should withdraw from BN following BN’s endorsement of “hudud-like” laws under the PAS proposed Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) that will remove the present punishment cap to raise the punishment to 30 years’ jail, RM100,000 fine and 100 times of whipping. The current syariah punishment cap of three years’ imprisonment, RM5,000 fine and six strokes of the rotan.
DAP opposes the hudud-like laws because it is contrary to the Federal Constitution. Though we respect the rights of the Muslims to determine their religious affairs, it must be done properly in the context of the Federal Constitution. The proposed increase in punishment will place Act 355 one step or maybe several steps closer to hudud-like laws and for this reason it should be done through a constitutional amendment that requires a two-thirds majority and not through an ordinary legislation.
Whilst we respect the views and wishes of the Muslim community to decide their own religious affairs, we must not forget the concerns of the non-Muslims in wanting to see that the Federal Constitution be upheld. Our Federal Constitution is secular in nature with Islam as the religion of the Federation. Raising the punishment cap so that it can come closer to Hudud provisions would contravene the Federal Constitution in both spirit and substance.
MCA, MIC, Gerakan and SUPP deserve public condemnation for betraying their principles and promises to uphold and defend the Federal Constitution but also for their political expediency to continue to deceive the people by supporting UMNO that is willing to work together with PAS to bypass the Federal Constitution to allow these laws to take effect. DAP wishes to remind MCA, MIC, Gerakan and SUPP that for ACT 355 to be passed, it requires only a simple majority of MPs present and not 112 out of 222 MPs. For a constitutional amendment to be passed, 148 MPs must vote for it.
It is pointless for MCA, MIC, Gerakan and SUPP to continue to be in Barisan Nasional when they have been left in the dark, and completely ignored by UMNO in allowing the first reading of the “Hudud-like” bill by PAS to be tabled for first reading in Parliament tomorrow. Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had stated that the Barisan Nasional Government will allow the Bill to be tabled for first reading again tomorrow and then refer it to the Parliamentary Select Committee.
DAP reiterates that the failure of MCA, MIC, Gerakan and SUPP to leave BN now is seen as a form of tacit approval of the unconstitutional measures adopted by UMNO to support PAS’ move to raise the punishment cap of Islamic laws that moves closer to Hudud-like laws.
LIM GUAN ENG
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民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼区国会议员林冠英于2016年11月23日在吉隆坡发表声明：
马华、国大党、民政党及人联党应该退出国阵，国阵放行伊斯兰党要求修改《1965年伊斯兰法庭法令》（355号法令）、像伊斯兰刑事法的动议，从原有最高刑罚，分别提高至30年监禁、10万令吉罚款及100下伊斯兰鞭刑。
马华、国大党、民政党及人联党应该退出国阵，国阵放行伊斯兰党要求修改《1965年伊斯兰法庭法令》（355号法令）、像伊斯兰刑事法的动议，从原有最高刑罚，分别提高至30年监禁、10万令吉罚款及100下伊斯兰鞭刑。目前，伊斯兰法庭所能判处的最高刑罚，是监禁3年、罚款5000令吉和鞭打6下。
行动党反对类似伊斯兰刑事法的法律，因为它与联邦宪法相违。虽然我们尊重穆斯林的权利来决定他们的宗教事务，它必须要在联邦宪法的范畴内进行。有关提高最高刑罚的动议将让355号法令进一步或更接近类似伊斯兰法律，因此，它应该通过必须获得国会三分之二多数票来修宪，而不是通过普通法案。
当我们尊重穆斯林社群自行决定其宗教事务的看法及意愿时，我们不能忘记非穆斯林希望看到联邦宪法被捍卫的意愿。我们的联邦宪法是一个世俗宪法，阐明联邦宪法是联邦的官方宗教。提高最高刑罚，好让它更加接近伊斯兰刑事法条文，这么做等同于违反联邦宪法的精神及实质。
马华、国大党、民政党及人联党应该遭民众谴责，背弃他们捍卫联邦宪法的原则及承诺，为了官禄继续欺骗人民、支持巫统联同伊斯兰党、绕过联邦宪法让这些法令生效。行动党希望提醒马华、国大党、民政党及人联党，355号法令的通过，只需要在场的半数国会议员赞成，而不是222名国会议员的112。如果要修宪，必须要有148名国会议员投票赞成。
马华、国大党、民政党及人联党继续留在国阵里还有什么意思？他们完成被蒙在鼓里、被巫统遗忘，竟然允许伊斯兰党提呈类似伊刑法的法案、并将在明天的国会进行一读。
副首相拿督斯里阿末再益也说明，国阵政府将允许上述法案明天提呈到国会一读，然后交由国会遴选委员会。
行动党重申，如果马华、国大党、民政党及人联党继续留在国阵里，等同于默许巫统通过这种违宪的手段，去支持伊斯兰党的动议，在伊斯兰法律加上最高刑罚，让它更接近伊斯兰刑事法。
林冠英