INTERVIEW As the man entrusted by PAS to speak on hudud, Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah insists that Kelantan will not turn into a Nigeria or Pakistan should hudud, the Islamic criminal law, be implemented.

Amar, the Kelantan deputy chief minister and PAS deputy state commissioner, added that there will be safeguards against potential overzealousness of the authorities.

He said PAS has conducted workshops to discuss the process of lobbing off limbs and the strict procedures needed to follow before the actual amputation takes place.

In an extensive interview with Malaysiakini last week, Amar argued that punishments meted under hudud are not inhumane, and that the aim of such laws is to “guide” the Kelantanese back “on the right path”.

Amar is of the view that the income disparity gap does not affect hudud as it will be imposed on both the rich and poor.

As hudud covers “theft, illicit sexual relations, accusations of illicit sex (without basis), alcohol consumption, apostasy, and highway robbery”, Amar said that other crimes such as drug trafficking will fall under ta’zir (at the discretion of the judge).

He said that the lesser weight given to women’s testimonies under hudud does not mean that perpetrators will get away with their crime, as they will still be charged under ta’zir and punishments can be even harsher.

Amar also noted that if corruption needs to be addressed under hudud, then it should be labelled as theft with the hands of the guilty lobbed off...