Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz (pic), one of only two DAP federal legislators, told a news conference in Parliament today that he is free to support or reject the private member’s Bill mooted by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — Despite the DAP’s opposition to a controversial Bill to enhance the Shariah courts’ punitive powers, the secular party’s Muslim lawmakers will be allowed to vote according to their conscience.

Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz, one of only two DAP federal legislators, told a news conference in Parliament today that he is free to support or reject the private member’s Bill mooted by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

“DAP has told us that it’s a vote of conscience, it is up to us to vote how,” the Raub MP said.

He added that he will be voting against the law proposal, better known by its Malay short form RUU355, as he believes the version suggested by PAS is wrong.

“RUU355 is an effort to make Islam great again. The way PAS is doing it is not right, that’s why we are against it. I have got reasons why I won’t vote,” Mohd Ariff explained.

DAP’s parliamentary whip Anthony Loke said the rest of the party’s non-Muslim MPs will vote against the Bill when the time comes.

“All of our 36 MPs will oppose the Bill. We will give an explanation why we don’t agree during the debate. We will appoint two MPs to represent us,” the Seremban MP said.

The DAP is the largest Opposition party in the Dewan Rakyat and has repeatedly said it is opposed to the Bill which it deems unconstitutional because it sharpens separate punishments for Muslims and non-Muslims.

The Bill aims to raise the Shariah courts’ maximum sentencing limits to 30 years’ jail, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the cane. The current limits are three years’ jail, RM5,000 fine and six strokes.

The Bill was first passed for tabling in the Dewan Rakyat last year but debate has been delayed since.

Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was reported saying that the government will take over Hadi’s private member’s Bill.

However, the non-Muslim component parties in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition insist they have not agreed to the move.

Hadi was also reported saying PAS has no qualms about BN taking over the Bill, but would like to look at the draft first.