Kelantan Lawmakers Unanimously Approved Amendments to Hudud Bill

THE Kelantan state assembly has unanimously passed the amendments to the Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II 1993 with 41 state assemblymen, including PKR’s sole representative, present to approve the controversial amendment.

Earlier, Kelantan Mentri Besar Ahmad Yaakob told the assembly that hudud will be implemented gradually to allow the public to understand and appreciate the just in Allah’s laws.

Hudud is a set of laws and punishments set in the Quran that could allow for flogging and amputation, among other forms of punishment. The Bill, tabled by the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS)-led state government, sets out amendments to the Syariah Criminal Code Enactment II 1993.

The Bill stipulates six offences that are punishable under hudud. One of the offences is falsely accusing others of unlawful relations. Before a charge of illicit sex can be upheld, there must now be four witnesses to an act. This offence is punishable by 100 lashes.