Pas Attacks Against Lawyer Challenging Kelantan Crime Laws Uncalled For

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Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has spoken out against PAS leaders attacking lawyer Nik Elin Nik Abdul Rashid, who together with her daughter has filed a legal challenge to nullify 20 Kelantan syariah offences.
Taking to Facebook, Zaid (above) said the intensity of the Islamist party’s attacks on Nik Elin is uncalled for.
"It's like they want to lynch her... They claimed that she was challenging Islam and Islamic doctrines.
"The chief justice has taken the trouble to explain at the outset the legal challenge is not an attack on Islam.
"Yet PAS leaders still insist it is," he said yesterday.
Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan has claimed that similar syariah enactments in all 14 states would be invalidated if the Federal Court allows the legal challenge by Kelantan-born Nik Elin and her daughter, Tengku Yasmin Natasha Tengku Abdul Rahman.
Contrary to the PAS and PN leaders’ claim, Zaid argued that the case is about whether Kelantan's state legislature has exceeded its powers provided for under the Federal Constitution.
The apex court is set to resume hearing of the family’s challenge on Nov 20 and Zahid noted that Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat has empanelled nine judges, with consideration to the significance of the case and a high amount of public interest.
"She (Tengku Maimun) has taken the route most reasonable and proper.
"Nik Elin, too, has engaged arguably the top constitutional lawyer in the country. Everyone wants the laws ascertained and determined correctly," Zaid said.
'Indirect attack on judges'
Further, Zaid pointed out that attacks against Nik Elin were also an indirect attack on the appointed judges.
Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat"If the court sees fit to hear the case (on any subject), shouldn't all parties respect that decision?
"When we submit to the rule of law, we must not oppose the court's decision to rule on any matter or subject. Laws are what the court says, not anyone else," he said.
He stressed that PAS and Bersatu should propose the parties' own amendments to the Federal Constitution or any laws while respecting the rights of others.
"Put that (amendments) in their manifesto. But they should not deny the rights of anyone to go to the Federal Court on the legality of any laws passed, whether in Parliament or the state assembly," he added.
On Nov 8, PN announced it would stage a series of demonstrations to protest the legal challenge against the 20 provisions under the Kelantan syariah criminal enactment. - Mkini

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