(April 7): MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai reiterated his party’s stand that it would never support PAS's hudud bill after it was listed in the order paper today.

"I will make sure MCA will not support it. That is my assurance. We also have other BN component parties that have voiced their opposition," he said at the Parliament lobby today.

However, he dodged a question on what MCA would do if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced Barisan Nasional (BN) would back the private member's bill.

"I say to you that it is a hypothetical question," he said.

He also refused to say whether MCA would quit BN if Umno MPs voted in favour of it.

"This doesn't arise, because as you know the bill is from PAS."

He said BN would always protect the spirit of the Federal Constitution and blamed DAP for allowing the bill to enter the order paper.

"Hadi's efforts show that DAP has failed to prevent PAS from tabling the hudud bill in Parliament. DAP always says they will prevent PAS from acting without the consent of all parties in Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

"But it is clear all their words were lies and that PR? is not united."

The transport minister? added that each DAP MP should apologise for not stopping PAS from tabling the bill.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang sent a notice to Parliament on March 18 on the bill after the Kelantan assembly unanimously approved the Shariah Criminal Code II 1993 (Amendment 2015).

This would allow Hadi to table the bill to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, or what is known as Act 355, paving the way for certain categories under hudud to be implemented in Kelantan.

On March 19, the Kelantan legislative assembly unanimously passed the Shariah Criminal Code II Enactment 1993 (Amendment 2015).

PAS's allies in the opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat – DAP and PKR – said they would not support the bill in Parliament.

The Islamist party's renewed push for hudud also caused DAP to terminate its ties with the PAS president, although it had decided to remain in the opposition coalition. – The Malaysian Insider