The hudud bill passed in Terengganu on July 8 is a...

The hudud bill passed in Terengganu on July 8 is a Bill which metes flawed justice, and a political ploy to assist Pas retain the confidence of the Terengganu voters in 2003 or 2004.The Bill, like its predecessor in Kelantan, is not motivated by justice. It is as clear as the Terengganu blue sky that it is driven by politics and is bound for cold storage because it contravenes the Federal Constitution. Pas is always consistent and insistent when it comes to its belief in the formation of a theocratic Islamic state as preconceived by it. In its theocratic state, the Shariah takes precedence over all man-made laws, and more. You must submit yourself to Arab culture though Islam and Arabism are not synonymous.Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, the Menteri Besar and acting Pas president, is hudud personified. He demanded stoning (for adultery), lashing and jail (for imbibing alcohol), amputation (for theft), crucifixion (for blasphemy and apostasy) and harsh punishments for sodomy, incest, bisexuality, homosexuality and lesbianism. The death penalty is mandatory for proven adulterers and apostates.It's absurd, in a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society - with 45 per cent of the population made up of non-Muslims - to even think about it, let alone enact laws for stoning, amputation, lashing, torture and sending a person to jail for a tipple.The passing of the Bill is a political game for Pas. It is not bothered about implementation.But beyond the politics of it all, the stark and unpleasant truth is this: There is an ongoing struggle for the soul of Islam. No one can afford to be mere spectators. We must speak up against those who are rubbishing the centrality of justice in Islam.