PAS plans for strict Islamic law face hurdles

PAS plans for strict Islamic law face hurdles

Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur

Attempts by two opposition-ruled Malaysian states to impose
strict Islamic criminal law, including amputation of limbs for
theft, were challenged in court here on Friday.

The case was brought before the Federal Court by a member of
the Muslim Lawyers Association of Malaysia, Mohd Zaid Ibrahim,
who charged that the moves were unconstitutional, the official
Bernama news agency reported.

The two states in question are northeastern Kelantan and
Terengganu, which are ruled by the hardline Parti Islam
SeMalaysia (PAS) which wants to create a Islamic state in this
multi-cultural country.

Mohd Zaid argued that in terms of the constitution the powers
to pass criminal laws were vested in the federal parliament and
government.

"I feel that the fundamental liberties I personally enjoy as a
Malaysian under the federal constitution and as a resident of the
state of Kelantan are being threatened by the proposed
legislations," he said.

Kelantan has been in PAS hands since 1990 and the party tried
to introduce Sharia criminal law three years later, but the
federal government refused to sanction its use.

The same sort of stand-off is now shaping up in Terengganu,
won by the PAS in 1999 elections, where the authorities plan to
introduce the law next month.

"I see that the actions by the Kelantan state government in
1993, and the Terengganu government now, challenged the integrity
of the constitution and the law," Mohd Zaid told reporters after
filing his case.

The move by Terengganu has already come under fire from
women's groups who say strict Islamic laws discriminate against
women.

Zainah Anwar, executive director of Sisters In Islam, pointed
to a proposed law which stipulates that a rape victim who fails
to produce proof of the crime would instead be found guilty of
adultery.

The victim is required to produce four Muslim men of good
character as witnesses to the rape, failing which she could face
a punishment of 80 strokes of the whip.

"It is shameless. Where will you find four men of good
character to just stand by and witness a rape?" asked Zainah.

Muslim make up 60 percent of Malaysia's 23 million population
and the introduction of Sharia law is also opposed by members of
the large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.

At present, Sharia law covers civil matters such as divorce
for Malaysian Muslim, but is not part of the criminal code under
the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament called upon Malaysia on
Thursday to repeal its Internal Security Act (ISA), saying it was
being used to crush political dissent.

"The human rights situation in Malaysia continues to
deteriorate rapidly, largely because of Mahathir's determination
to crush his political rivals," a resolution issued in Strasbourg
said.

The resolution cited reports from the Malaysian Human Rights
Commission and other groups that more than 40 people are being
held without charge or trial under the ISA.

At least eight of them, the EU parliament said, were being
detained "on grounds of the peaceful expression of their
political or religious beliefs."

The parliament called upon Mahathir's government "to abolish
the ISA and other laws that allow for detention without trial,"
and to either free or try persons currently detained under the
act.

It also urged the European Commission and the 15 EU member
states to link the development of relations with Malaysia to
"Malaysia's willingness to pay urgent attention to the
observation of universal human rights within its borders."