Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said he rejected...

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said he rejected Islamic criminal laws prescribing amputations and death by stoning introduced by the hardline Islamic Party in the country's north-eastern Terengganu state. Terengganu state, controlled by the hardline Islamic Party (PAS), gazetted a Sharia act to criminalize illicit sex, drinking alcohol and renunciation of Islam. Mahathir was quoted by The Star as saying that he did not consider Terengganu's Islamic criminal legislation as sharia law because it contained "cruel punishments". "It is PAS' law," said the veteran premier, who was on his way to retirement following 22 years in office. "They can implement it but if they do something which is inconsistent with the country's laws, we will take legal action." Legal experts said PAS had no right to impose criminal laws, but the party insisted religious matters came under state authority.