PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang will probably go down in history as one of the greatest dividers of this nation, not just dividing Muslims and non-Muslims, but also the Muslims themselves. I am not lamenting the hudud nature of Hadi’s private member’s bill RUU 355. I am just asking why the need for RUU 355 to begin with.

We should never forget that Hadi is a politician first and last. His struggle is just like that of any other politician – for political power and the opportunity to govern this country. Yet many of us have looked at him in a different light – a great champion of religion, social order, and law and punishment.

But he is no expert in this. He has no knowledge, experience and evidence to back him up. He is no criminologist or sociologist. The world today has no empirical evidence to suggest that the nature and the level of crimes are based on certain forms of punishments. This is pure obstinacy based on his “holier than thou” and parochial attitude.

When are we going to grow up? Why talk about law, fairness and justice in the vacuum or in great religious traditions or in ideal states? Wisdom, fairness and justice in any religion are pleasing to hear, but hardly accomplished in practice.

We know God is not here to administer law and deliver justice for each of us. Which part does Hadi not understand if I say God’s laws are always administered by humans and humans are defiled? Hence, there are bound to be abuses, bigotry and prejudice.

Because of this, since the beginning of time, we humans have always sat down to design and improve a criminal system that minimizes abuse, arbitrariness and injustice, not by assuming that if we implement certain laws purportedly under certain religions, everything will be hunky dory. That is unthinking and unwise.

I think the nation can no longer waste time on his idiosyncrasy. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. He should stop hoodwinking ignorant Malaysians.

What he proposes must be backed up by empirical proof. He can choose any country in the world – from those with high crimes and social disorder to those with low crimes and social order. He can look at the criminal systems of each of these countries. He can then tell us how his RUU 355 fits in. Otherwise, he should rest his case. He has done enough damage and wasted enough of our time.

I still believe this country is made up of people with education, knowledge and the ability to think and rationalise. The Muslims and non-Muslims here are not a bunch of nomads in caravans. Unless he is able to put forth his proposal more objectively, empirically, and rationally, I urge all MPs to dump this hopeless polemic for good.

TK Chua is an FMT reader.

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