Umno should ensure Act 355 is passed

KUALA LUMPUR: As a party that puts Islam as one of its pillars of struggle, Umno should ensure that the Private Member’s Bill proposed to empower the Syariah Court in meting out criminal punishments or better known as Act 355 is passed.

The message was delivered by several delegates debating the motion on religion and education on the last day of the 2016 Umno General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.

A Terengganu Umno delegate, Mohd Iskandar Jaafar said championing the Private Member’s Bill was the responsiblity of the Muslims in the country as the caliphs of Allah which is beyond political interests.

Quoting the statement of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who stated that the government would take over the motion to amend the act, Mohd Iskandar said it demonstrated Umno’s determination to continue to uphold Islam.

“This proves our clear commitment in ensuring it to become a reality,” he said.

A Pahang Umno delegate Datuk Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad called on all the party members to support the bill as it would protect the interests of Muslims once it was passed and implemented.

“All of us in this hall should support the Act 355 and we pray to Allah to give us the strength and as mentioned by the president, the bill has nothing to do with nonMuslims,” he said.

A delegate from Negeri Sembilan Syamsul Amri Ismail said as Muslims, all Umno members should support any law which was in line with the Islamic principle.

“That is why when we are talking about the bill, we have to support it and prepare ourselves to implement the law because we want to become a righteous generation,” he said.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had brought forth a motion on the private member’s Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction)(Amendment) 2016 at the Dewan Rakyat on Nov 24. - Bernama

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