THE controversial motion to amend the Shariah Court (Jurisdiction Act) 1965 (RUU355) is as good as dead now following an abrupt end on the last day of Dewan Rakyat’s first session.

“RUU355 is as good as dead again,” Kota Kinabalu MP Jimmy Wong (DAP) told The Malaysian Insight today.

“As the motion was not debated or voted on it cannot be continued to the next session. The next session is a new one and the motion has to be reintroduced,” said Wong referring to the Standing Orders.

The Standing Orders 15 (5), however, says that a private member’s bill which is tabled but undecided, can be pushed to the next session if the sponsor proposes it. In the new session, the motion will be placed first in the order papers for that session.

In today’s session, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia allowed PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to table RUU355 before lunch time. Pandikar, however, adjourned Dewan Rakyat before the motion could be debated or voted on by the Mps.

“I thought it was April Fools’ Day today,” said Wong, reacting to the chaotic end.

“Parliament has made a fool of itself,” said Wong.

Wong, an outspoken MP, said what happened today was just another example of how Umno is toying with PAS.

“This PAS only ‘syiok’ in Parliament thinking Umno will back them up. To me, Umno does not know how to show sincerity.”

Wong, however, believed this is not the end as there will be other attempts to introduce hudud.

“It will come back again and again and again, maybe in a different form.Maybe Umno will take over in future and present it in another form.

PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian said he was not surprised with what happened today.

“I knew this would happen. I told someone earlier today that they will make excuses not to vote to avoid embarrassment,” Baru said.

“Because they (the Barisan Nasional) know it will not go through.”

Baru said the fight to stop the bill was an ongoing effort.

“The battle is on. Not over yet. This proves if we are united irrespective of our political affiliation for the right thing, things can be changed in Malaysia,” he said.

PRS information chief Wilfred Nissom, in a WhatsApp message, said the end of the bill was just what the party had wished for.

“PRS said ‘no’ to Hadi’s bill. It says so publicly repeatedly. PRS even sent a memo to BN emphasising its stand.

“In the PRS Supreme Council, all members and YBs unanimously decided to say ‘No ,no, no to hudud.”

The last two days of Parliament saw the worst kind of manipulation of Parliament proceedings to suit the political strategy of Umno and PAS, Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said in a statement.

“This obvious manipulation and playing of religious issues by Umno and PAS clearly shows that the non-Umno parties in BN are irrelevant in the decision-making process of the government.

“The other non-Umno parties in the BN coalition either knew about and consent to this arrangement between PAS and Umno or they were simply kept in the dark.

“Either way, it is high time these non-Umno BN parties re-think their position and role in the whole ruling coalition.” – April 6, 2017.