Forward thinking Muslims of Malaysia’s most ‘piously Muslim’ political party, PAS, are trying to usher in the future now; a future where Islamic law is in complete control of every aspect of every person’s life in the country. PAS says they are willing to ‘discuss’ the issue, but this is of course a thin veneer of reasonableness. The implementation of hudud is, as they have already said (and keep telling us), a matter beyond question and not up for negotiation or debate of any kind. Following up this story; “PAS willing to discuss hudud”, by Syed Azhar and Farah Fazanna Zulhana, The Star, 8 October 2011:
KOTA BARU: PAS, which is going ahead with its move to implement hudud law, is willing to discuss the issue with Umno [Malaysia’s main governmental party] and the Malay Rulers to dispel doubts.
The Malay rulers are the nominally ruling monarchs that most states in Malaysia have; they have mainly ceremonial roles in Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy. Their support is usually not vital but is symbolically important, and as they are all Muslims, they will of course fall in line on the issue of hudud.
Party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said PAS was willing to give room to Umno to discuss this matter “and not to debate”.
“Umno has its Islamic religious bureau while PAS has its Dewan Ulama and the Rulers can be represented by muftis.
“What is wrong about having a dialogue or discourse on hudud?
In other words, what is wrong with discussing your unconditional surrender to Islam?
“Sitting together to discuss the matter is the best platform,” he said after giving a speech during a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah here on Thursday night.
During the same function, Islamic International University law lecturer Prof Dr Abdul Aziz Bari said the implementation of hudud law must have the full support of the people.
According to Malaysia’s deputy prime minister (who is not a PAS member), all Muslims are compelled to support all aspects of Shariah, including hudud. As for the support of non Muslims, that’s surely less important. There are no doubt many persuasive ways to compel this from the kufr, should this be required.
He added that if PAS won the general election by defeating Umno, it would have absolute control in the implementation of hudud.
“PAS can implement hudud either through political will or with the help of the Malay Rulers,” he said in his speech at the stadium.
But there is some local opposition to hudud, and it comes from what might be considered an unlikely source.
In Kuala Lumpur, Sisters in Islam (SIS) insisted that hudud law should not be implemented because it was unfair and discriminatory towards women.
Its acting executive director Ratna Osman said SIS had maintained its opposition to the law since 1993, when the PAS-led Kelantan Government passed the Syariah Criminal Law Enactment (II) 1993 (Hudud Law).
Terengganu passed a similar enactment in 2003 when PAS ruled the state then.
She added that hudud law denied women’s rights and went against the Federal ConstiÂtution.
Shariah denies women’s rights? How Islamophobic!