Last chance to debate RUU355 denied due to early adjournment

THE last opportunity for the Private Member’s Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 to be debated was denied when the Dewan Rakyat was adjourned early.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said tabled a motion for the House to be adjourned after debating and passing a Finance Ministry’s motion.

Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan (PASKota Baru) pointed out PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS-Marang) was allowed to table his motion on April 6 last year.

“Today, the motion is slotted as number two in the Order Paper so I would like to know if there is discretion to allow the debate to go on,” said Takiyuddin.

To this, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said he is bound by the Standing Order.

“When the Government tables a motion that says the House will be adjourned once all government business is done, then I am bound by that,” he said.

Takiyuddin also asked if the Bill, also known as RUU355, would be slotted back automatically in the Order Paper once the 14th Parliament comes into session.

To this, Pandikar Amin said he is unable to make a ruling on it.

“In the new Parliament (session), I will not know who is sitting on the right or left so any ruling I make on the matter will be irrelevant,” he said.

During a press conference later, PAS said it was satisfied with its efforts to push through RUU355.

Takiyuddin said the outcome should not be construed as a failure.

He said the Speaker’s explanation that the discretion to allow for debates depends on the House and not Abdul Hadi, puts to rest the criticism that PAS failed to bring the Bill forward.

“YB Marang has done his part and we are satisfied,” said Takiyuddin.

In April last year, the unprecedented move to allow Abdul Hadi to table his controversial Private Member’s Bill sparked an uproar on the last day of the Dewan Rakyat meeting.

Abdul Hadi was allowed to speak at length about the merits of the proposed amendments to allow syariah courts to impose stiffer penalties.

Only Takiyuddin was allowed to debate in support of the motion for almost two hours.

However, RUU355 was left in a limbo when it was deferred by Pandikar Amin to the next parliamentary meeting.

However, there was a slew of Bills from the Government and Standing Order 15 states that government business shall have precedence over private member’s business.