Waiting For Hudud.....

Hudud Or No Hudud --
I'm not worried about Hudud ever being implemented in the country. I'm no constitutional lawyer but I've been reading articles by lawyers, including constitutional experts who have said that it cannot be implemented because to do so would run against the Federal Constitution which stands supreme.

Besides the fact that no one qualified to talk about the Shariah has offered an explanation of what Hudud is and how it is going to be implemented and enforced.

There are so many questions that are unanswered. Simple questions.

All we've seen are examples of the enforcement of the Shariah in some African countries. Afghanistan and Pakistan, showing such barbarism, cruelty and inhumanity (beheading, stoning and execution by a shooting) that if those are a reflection of what Malaysia is going to be with Hudud, then it will be one time, Malaysians of all races and beliefs will come together and national protests and rallies will be made lawful.

Is there a Malaysian version of Hudud? What about the Kelantan version?

Anyway, I will not go into details on this because the opinions of legal experts are all over print publications and the internet.

And even if the opposition grouping wins big in federal seats, I'm pretty sure the Pan Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS or Parti Se Islam Malaysia) will not get a two-thirds majority for Hudud.

I mean, I've read enough to also know that even Muslims (and there are many) are against the implementation of Hudud laws.

So far, the enforcement of (enactments of) Shariah in the country has been selective, petty and unpleasant and smacked of arrogance on part of officers . Thus, even if at the end of it I am convinced that Hudud is good for the country, I will still not be convinced that it will be enforced fairly. Simply put, I don't have faith in our religious authorities to implement it.

This talk of Hudud resurfaced last month, following a pronouncement by Pan Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS or Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) spiritual guide Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat who is the Kelantan Menteri Besar, that the party and its partners in the opposition grouping should resume talks on Hudud.

Nik Aziz sent shock waves among the opposition grouping, especially the DAP because Pas' struggle to set up an Islamic state and implement Hudud was supposed to have been "irrevocably laid to rest" (to quote DAP chairman Karpal Singh) with the welfare state resolution held by the Pas muktamar this year. Besides, the opposition partnership is based on common political framework. And Pas' Islamic state and hudud agenda is not in it.

Karpal, to say the least, was taken aback, and described Nik Aziz's pronoucement as an "outburst". Of course, the Bukit Gelugor MP was not the only one.

The chorus of attacks from DAP was loud and clear.

Meanwhile, Nik Aziz attempted to reassure his friends. In his Facebook, he said: I guaranty if hudud punishment is being implemented in Kelantan, it would not take effect upon the non-Muslims because this punishment only governs Muslims.

The issue became so contentious between PAS and DAP with PAS tellling DAP that they could leave the opposition grouping if they objected to it, and DAP threatening that they might just do that. All this really is not good for Pakatan Rakyat, especially with the general election just around the corner.

Another surprise from Nik Aziz when he expressed his wish to see Hudud implemented throughout the country. Not just in Kelantan but at the federal level.

An emergency meeting was called. The Pakatan leaders deliberated for four hours but ended without coming to a consensus on the matter.

DAP remained firm. PKR, on the other hand, played it safe. De facto leader Anwar Ibrahim skirted the issue and did not commit PKR's stand. But I've been made to understand that PKR leaders are not happy with this development.

In fact, just recently DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng announced that PAS and DAP "agree to disagree" on Hudud. Nicely said. But that surely means that the issue is not resolved.

Some people have dismissed all this as just a "sandiwara" by Nik Aziz who needs to reinforce his relevance and convince his supporters that Pas Islamic agenda remains. That PAS is trying to distract the people from the problems in PKR.

So far, it's still a stalemate. Nobody's giving in.
It remains to be seen whether any kind of agreement can be made on this. Or a compromise. Or whatever.

Sandiwara or not, we all agree that it is playing badly.

As for me -- I'm not the least worried about Hudud coming our way. The way things are playing out, it needs more than threats and sandiwara to endear Hudud to Malaysians.

Besides, don't you think you should get your act together?