MCA, Gerakan and MIC Ministers have been making confusing, contradictory and misleading statements on PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill motion to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act (Act 355).

All the three MCA Ministers – MCA President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Deputy President Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and MCA Secretary-General Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chua – and the Gerakan President Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong have said that they would resign as Ministers if Hadi’s private member’s bill is passed by Parliament.

This is an empty threat as Hadi’s private member’s bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act (Act 355) will never be passed by Parliament, as after Hadi’s private member’s bill motion (which is equivalent to the first reading of the private member’s bill), the UMNO/BN Government will take over Hadi’s Bill.

This has been clearly announced by the UMNO Minister in the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom who said that the Barisan Nasional government will take over Hadi’s bill from there, and it would become a government bill from second reading stage onwards.

As the International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has said publicly, from that stage, BN component parties will not be able to object to amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act (Act 355) as the bill has been taken over by the Federal Government, and all the BN component parties are compelled to support the bill as part of the ruling coalition. Read the rest of this entry »