State Passes Islamic Law

MALAYSIA

The State Government of Terengganu approved a bill to introduce

hudud, the criminal code based on Shari’ah Islamic law on Monday

8 July.

The bill would apply Shari’ah penalties to a range of offences.

These would include death by stoning for adultery and cutting off

hands and feet for theft. A Muslim who renounces Islam would be

guilty of apostasy, which under the bill is punishable by death

and confiscation of the offender’s property.

The federal government has vowed to block the implementation of

this bill, but the state government, which is controlled by the

Islamic Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), is determined to press

ahead with its implementation. PAS is the main opposition party

in Malaysia and is seeking to gain support ahead of national elections

due in 2004. Its ultimate aim is to transform the country into

an Islamic state under Shari’ah law. Similar laws were passed

in 1993 in Kelantan, the other Malaysian state controlled by PAS,

but they have never been enforced because of federal government

opposition. Malaysia is currently governed by a moderate Muslim

coalition (UMNO) led by long-serving Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad,

who recently announced that he would be standing down in favour

of his deputy prior to the general election. However, even the

federal government’s stance on the implementation of Shari’ah

law now seems somewhat ambiguous. One of the Prime Minister’s

religious advisers, Abdul Hamid Othman, is quoted as saying at

the beginning of July, “This must not be done in a hurry. We have

to prepare people to accept hudud by way of educating students

in the universities about Islamic laws.” He went on to suggest

that the government would implement hudud once it found that the

environment was appropriate.

The Chief Minister of Terengganu, Abdul Hadi Awang, is Acting

President of PAS, following the death in June of its more moderate

leader, Fadzil Noor. Some of his statements during the debate

on the bill in the Terengganu State Assembly have given rise to

great concerns about the ultimate aims of PAS. He is reported

as saying, “For now it will apply to only Muslims but when the

time comes, the hudud and qisas laws will be extended to all non-

Muslims.” He also stated, “Politics should not be separated from

Islam. As Muslims, it is an obligation and a duty for PAS to use

its political power to implement this law.” Christians and other

minorities, as well as women’s groups, are fearful that the

implementation

of such laws will lead to discrimination against them and undermine

their equality before the law.

PRAY

Pray that the federal government will remain firm and that Shari’ah

law will not be implemented in Terengganu state.

Pray that Christians and other minorities in Malaysia will not

be disadvantaged by any implementation of Shari’ah law, and that

the Christians’ freedom to worship will be maintained.

9 July 2002

BARNABAS FUND E-MAIL NEWS SERVICE

The Barnabas Fund’s e-mail news service provides our supporters

with short urgent news briefs and prayer requests for suffering

Christians around the world.

Please do share these news items with your Christian friends and

churches. All news items are available on our website in a more

colourful user-friendly presentation format which you can access,

print and pass on.

If you are not already receiving these news briefs directly from

the Barnabas Fund and would like to, please contact us with your

name, postal and e-mail addresses, and details of the church you

attend.

The Barnabas Fund, The Old Rectory, River Street, PEWSEY,

Wiltshire, SN9 5DB, UK, Tel 01672 564938, Fax 01672 565030,

E-mail Web http://www.barnabasfund.org

BARNABAS FUND E-MAIL NEWS SERVICE

The Barnabas Fund’s e-mail news service provides our supporters

with short urgent news briefs and prayer requests for suffering

Christians around the world.

Please do share these news items with your Christian friends and

churches. All news items are available on our website in a more

colourful user-friendly presentation format which you can access,

print and pass on.

If you are not already receiving these news briefs directly from

the Barnabas Fund and would like to, please contact us with your

name, postal and e-mail addresses, and details of the church you

attend.

The Barnabas Fund, The Old Rectory, River Street, PEWSEY,

Wiltshire, SN9 5DB, UK, > > > E-mail Web

http://www.barnabasfund.org