Did BN bypass Umno in Shariah Bill amendment discussions?

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BN Did Not Discuss Shariah Bill Amendments with Umno

Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, an Umno Member of Parliament, stated that he was unaware of any discussions within Barisan Nasional (BN) or Umno regarding proposed amendments to the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act. He expressed surprise upon learning of the government's plans to table its own revisions to the legislation.
Unawareness of Government's Intentions

Tengku Razaleigh, also known as Ku Li, revealed that the matter of tabling amendments to the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act had never been brought up for discussion within Umno or the broader ruling coalition. He explicitly stated, "I didn’t know. I didn’t know. This is the first time I’m hearing it," when questioned by the media. His response to whether the issue was discussed among his party was a definitive "No."
Confirmation of Government Revisions

His comments came after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom indicated that the government was indeed working on its own revisions to the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act. Tengku Razaleigh acknowledged hearing about these revisions but maintained his lack of prior knowledge regarding any internal party or coalition discussions leading to this initiative.
Stance on Constitutional Breaches

Earlier, Tengku Razaleigh had publicly declared his commitment to voting against any Bill presented in Parliament that would breach the Federal Constitution. He affirmed that his oath was to protect the Constitution and that he would support legislation only if it aligned with its provisions, articles, and sections. This stance suggests he would oppose any amendments to the Shariah Courts Act if they were perceived to contravene constitutional principles.

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Did BN bypass Umno in Shariah Bill amendment discussions?

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