BN's decision not to take over and table the private member's bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act or Act 355 does not translate into its rejection, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Asyraf Wajdi Dasuki said today.

Explaining the "confusion", Asyraf, who oversees Islamic affairs, pointed out that the bill, first tabled by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, would go through the procedures in accordance with Parliament's standing order, which requires all government bills to be settled first.

If the bill is tabled, he said, PAS' version of the bill would be open for debate in Parliament...