SPEAKER Pandikar Amin Mulia today stopped the debate on RUU355 before those opposed to it could argue their points, and adjourned proceedings, causing an uproar in the Parliament’s Lower House.

Pandikar stopped the debate and walked out at 4pm after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman tabled the motion to adjourn the proceedings.

Lawmakers started shouting “takut”, “ayam” as Pandikar left the parliament chamber.

No one saw the adjournment coming, expecting another marathon session like yesterday when proceedings ended at 5am today.

Pandikar made the announcement after PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan completed his arguments on the private member’s bill brought by Marang MP Abdul Hadi Awang to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act (RUU355).

Pandikar said he had been speaker for nine years, and he felt happy because he had full power to conduct the session without restrictions.

He added that he understood RUU355 clearly, after listening to both Hadi and Takiyuddin.

With that, the speaker then delivered the killer blow when he announced that the debate was adjourned sine die, sending opposition MPs, who hardly had opportunity to say much into shock.

“Tan Sri, you are being so unfair. You never said this earlier. You are catching us by surprise,” someone shouted.

The MPs were expecting to have their say during debate and later cast their vote on the controversial bill.

Earlier, Takiyuddin, who supported the bill, pointed out many non-Muslim MPs were also in the Dewan Rakyat in 1965 when the original RUU355 was passed without debate.

He named the late Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore and Dr Lim Chong Eu of Penang.

Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Amanah-Sepang) interjected that at the time, the bill was tabled by the government.

“The government could table it then. Why this time, PAS has to do it? Was the bill consented by the rulers?” Hanipa asked.

Takiyuddin defended PAS’s tabling of the present bill as it is provided for in the Dewan Rakyat’s standing orders.

Khoo Soo Seang (Tebrau-BN) told Takiyuddin that previously, the non-Muslim MPs did not object to RUU355 and its earlier amendments because there was no talk of implementing hudud. – April 6, 2017.