Speaking to FMT, he added Thursday, that he was not rooting for the Bill to be passed only in Kelantan, but for the whole of Malaysia.

“I am not a politician. It is not that I am a supporter of PAS or anything like that. Hadi put up the motion, I support it,” Harussani said when asked why he had not spoken on the matter before.

Sinar Harian reported on Wednesday that Harussani had called on Muslim MPs across the political divide to support the Bill, saying that it was “compulsory” for Muslims to do so.

He had said it was “wrong” for Muslims to not support the Bill.

“That is wrong because, as Muslims, they must support all efforts to upgrade the shariah courts and I myself hope for all Malay and Muslim MPs to unite in supporting this issue.

“If all of them can give their support, God willing, it will be passed,” Harussani was quoted saying.

The Bill proposes amendments to the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also known as Act 355, to enable shariah courts to impose stiffer punishments on offenders.

The private member’s Bill, introduced by Hadi, is to be debated at the next session of Parliament, which begins on Monday.

On Tuesday, PAS Supporters’ Wing Information Chief Balachandran G Krishnan said its members were prepared to “school” non-Muslims, including politicians, on the proposed changes to Act 355.

He said Act 355 should not have been politicised as its implementation was the right of Muslims, and that non-Muslims should not oppose such matters.