Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras yesterday said the constitution should be revised to give Greeks &quot;direct democracy&quot;, a say in electing the president and the right to hold referendums on laws. 
 
&quot;It is time to set aside fear of the people&#39;s judgment even if the people are not infallible,&quot; Tsipras said in a televised speech. 
 
He said people should be allowed to elect the nation&#39;s president - who is currently chosen by parliament - if efforts by lawmakers fail, as they did last year. 
 
The people should also be able to reject laws by referendum - except those on fiscal matters - and propose their own legal initiatives, Tsipras said. 
 
Lawmakers should only be allowed to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in parliament. 
 
The Greek state should also be &quot;religion-neutral&quot; and officials should take civil oaths, even if Greece&#39;s main religion remains orthodox Christianity, the leftist PM said. 
 
This last proposal is likely to raise eyebrows in Greece, where Tsipras - a self-admitted atheist - became the country&#39;s first-ever prime minister to take a civil oath on his election last year. 
 
And the PM must also sway his own Syriza party, where a sizeable faction sees no need for constitutional revision.&nbsp;He said discussion groups would be formed nationwide and deliver a report by April on public proposals for the constitution. 
 
Most opposition leaders boycotted the ceremony, held mainly before Tsipras allies in front of parliament. 
 
Even if approved, the constitutional changes cannot be set in motion by the present parliament.&nbsp;They can only be enacted by the legislative body that will emerge after the next elections, which are normally due in 2019. 
 
However, Tsipras&#39; coalition government rests on a fragile three-seat majority and it is widely assumed that he will be unable to complete his four-year term. 
 
Tsipras said decisions would be taken in a year&#39;s time and could be supported with a referendum on the issue. 
 
The Greek constitution has been revised three times in the last four decades, with the last changes coming in 2008.&nbsp;Successive parliamentary votes are required to change a constitutional article - one to nominate a specific article to be amended, and another to actually rewrite it. 
 
From the two votes to be held on each article selected for amendment, at least one must be carried by a majority of 180 out of Greece&#39;s 300 lawmakers. 
 
Tsipras can currently rely on at least 153 deputies to approve his proposals, but finding another 180 to confirm the changes, up to three years from now, will not be easy.&nbsp;Tsipras&#39; popularity has waned after he was forced last year to accept an unpopular EU bailout to keep Greece in the eurozone. 
 
Polls show he could actually lose the next election to Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of the conservative New Democracy party. 
 
(AFP)

People should be allowed to elect the nations's president and also be able to reject laws by referendum, Alexis Tsipras said

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras yesterday said the constitution should be revised to give Greeks "direct democracy", a say in electing the president and the right to hold referendums on laws. "It is time to set aside fear of the people's judgment even if the people are not infallible," Tsipras said in a televised speech. He said people should be allowed to elect the nation's president - who is currently chosen by parliament - if efforts by lawmakers fail, as they did last year. The people should also be able to reject laws by referendum - except those on fiscal matters - and propose their own legal initiatives, Tsipras said. Lawmakers should only be allowed to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in parliament. The Greek state should also be "religion-neutral" and officials should take civil oaths, even if Greece's main religion remains orthodox Christianity, the leftist PM said. This last proposal is likely to raise eyebrows in Greece, where Tsipras - a self-admitted atheist - became the country's first-ever prime minister to take a civil oath on his election last year. And the PM must also sway his own Syriza party, where a sizeable faction sees no need for constitutional revision. He said discussion groups would be formed nationwide and deliver a report by April on public proposals for the constitution. Most opposition leaders boycotted the ceremony, held mainly before Tsipras allies in front of parliament. Even if approved, the constitutional changes cannot be set in motion by the present parliament. They can only be enacted by the legislative body that will emerge after the next elections, which are normally due in 2019. However, Tsipras' coalition government rests on a fragile three-seat majority and it is widely assumed that he will be unable to complete his four-year term. Tsipras said decisions would be taken in a year's time and could be supported with a referendum on the issue. The Greek constitution has been revised three times in the last four decades, with the last changes coming in 2008. Successive parliamentary votes are required to change a constitutional article - one to nominate a specific article to be amended, and another to actually rewrite it. From the two votes to be held on each article selected for amendment, at least one must be carried by a majority of 180 out of Greece's 300 lawmakers. Tsipras can currently rely on at least 153 deputies to approve his proposals, but finding another 180 to confirm the changes, up to three years from now, will not be easy. Tsipras' popularity has waned after he was forced last year to accept an unpopular EU bailout to keep Greece in the eurozone. Polls show he could actually lose the next election to Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of the conservative New Democracy party. (AFP)

Greek PM proposes constitutional change for 'direct democracy'

A Luxembourg court today handed out suspended sentences to the two former accounting firm employees who leaked data about Luxembourg&#39;s tax deals with large corporations, which gained prominence in the so-called &quot;LuxLeaks&quot; affair. 
 
Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet, both French citizens and former employees of accounting firm PwC, received suspended sentences of 12 and nine months respectively. 
 
Deltour also received a fine of 1,500 euros ($1,665) while Halet was fined 1,000 euros. Both said they would appeal. 
 
French television journalist Edouard Perrin, who used the leaked data for a broadcast made in 2012, was acquitted of all charges. 
 
The case was seen as a delicate balancing act for the judge between upholding Luxembourg&#39;s strict secrecy laws and protecting whistleblowers. 
 
One of Deltour&#39;s lawyers William Bourdon called the verdict &quot;scandalous&quot;. The message of Luxembourg&#39;s justice system was for multinationals to &quot;sleep tight&quot;, he said. 
 
Outside of the court, Deltour was greeted by singing supporters. 
 
Over the course of the trial the court heard how Deltour had copied 45,000 pages of documents to which he gained access through a glitch in the company&#39;s servers, which had since been fixed. 
 
Prosecutors say this data and material supplied by Halet was used in the &#39;LuxLeaks&#39; revelations of November 2014 by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. 
 
The prosecutor had requested 18-month prison sentences and fines, far less than the five-year maximum for the charges that range from violating secrecy laws to theft and IT fraud. 
 
For Perrin the prosecutor had sought a fine, without specifying how high it should be. 
 
The leaked documents showed that companies such as PepsiCo, AIG and Deutsche Bank secured deals from Luxembourg to slash their tax bills. 
 
Luxembourg, a small country wedged in between France, Belgium and Germany, says other states have similar arrangements, and has offered to share details of the tax deals. 
 
(Reuters)

Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet received suspended jail sentences for sharing data about Luxembourg slashing taxes for big corporations

A Luxembourg court today handed out suspended sentences to the two former accounting firm employees who leaked data about Luxembourg's tax deals with large corporations, which gained prominence in the so-called "LuxLeaks" affair. Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet, both French citizens and former employees of accounting firm PwC, received suspended sentences of 12 and nine months respectively. Deltour also received a fine of 1,500 euros ($1,665) while Halet was fined 1,000 euros. Both said they would appeal. French television journalist Edouard Perrin, who used the leaked data for a broadcast made in 2012, was acquitted of all charges. The case was seen as a delicate balancing act for the judge between upholding Luxembourg's strict secrecy laws and protecting whistleblowers. One of Deltour's lawyers William Bourdon called the verdict "scandalous". The message of Luxembourg's justice system was for multinationals to "sleep tight", he said. Outside of the court, Deltour was greeted by singing supporters. Over the course of the trial the court heard how Deltour had copied 45,000 pages of documents to which he gained access through a glitch in the company's servers, which had since been fixed. Prosecutors say this data and material supplied by Halet was used in the 'LuxLeaks' revelations of November 2014 by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The prosecutor had requested 18-month prison sentences and fines, far less than the five-year maximum for the charges that range from violating secrecy laws to theft and IT fraud. For Perrin the prosecutor had sought a fine, without specifying how high it should be. The leaked documents showed that companies such as PepsiCo, AIG and Deutsche Bank secured deals from Luxembourg to slash their tax bills. Luxembourg, a small country wedged in between France, Belgium and Germany, says other states have similar arrangements, and has offered to share details of the tax deals. (Reuters)

'LuxLeaks' whistleblowers given suspended prison sentences

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people.

&quot;This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band,&quot; the American pop rock group said on its website on Friday.

&quot;We don&rsquo;t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right AS WE FEEL EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY.&quot;

With a law passed in March, North Carolina became the first state in the country to require transgender people to use multiple-occupancy public restrooms and changing facilities that correspond with the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity.

The law, approved by the Republican-led legislature in a one-day special session, also blocks local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances that include protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

It has sparked lawsuits by both supporters and opponents of the law, and a mounting backlash from corporations, conventions, tourists and entertainers. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department asked a federal district court to declare that the state is violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

On Tuesday, renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman also backed out of a scheduled performance in North Carolina in protest of the law. Other performers who have canceled shows in the state include Bruce Springsteen, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Boston, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr and the group Cirque du Soleil.

The upcoming shows by Maroon 5, known for hits such as &ldquo;Moves Like Jagger,&rdquo; were to be held in Raleigh and Charlotte. The band&#39;s decision drew praise and criticism from fans posting comments on its website.

&quot;You shouldn&#39;t punish your fans who have no control over the politics!&quot; one post said.

Republican Governor Pat McCrory&#39;s campaign spokesman Ricky Diaz questioned the timing of the band&#39;s &quot;political statement.&quot; McCrory is up for re-election in November.

&quot;At this point, the only people they are hurting by hypocritically targeting North Carolina for selective outrage are their fans and the hardworking men and women servicing these shows while they keep tour dates overseas &ndash; even in Russia,&quot; Diaz said in a statement.

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people.

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people. "This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band," the American pop rock group said on its website on Friday. "We don’t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right AS WE FEEL EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY." With a law passed in March, North Carolina became the first state in the country to require transgender people to use multiple-occupancy public restrooms and changing facilities that correspond with the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity. The law, approved by the Republican-led legislature in a one-day special session, also blocks local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances that include protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. It has sparked lawsuits by both supporters and opponents of the law, and a mounting backlash from corporations, conventions, tourists and entertainers. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department asked a federal district court to declare that the state is violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act. On Tuesday, renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman also backed out of a scheduled performance in North Carolina in protest of the law. Other performers who have canceled shows in the state include Bruce Springsteen, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Boston, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr and the group Cirque du Soleil. The upcoming shows by Maroon 5, known for hits such as “Moves Like Jagger,” were to be held in Raleigh and Charlotte. The band's decision drew praise and criticism from fans posting comments on its website. "You shouldn't punish your fans who have no control over the politics!" one post said. Republican Governor Pat McCrory's campaign spokesman Ricky Diaz questioned the timing of the band's "political statement." McCrory is up for re-election in November. "At this point, the only people they are hurting by hypocritically targeting North Carolina for selective outrage are their fans and the hardworking men and women servicing these shows while they keep tour dates overseas – even in Russia," Diaz said in a statement.

Maroon 5 cancels shows in North Carolina in protest against transgender bathroom law

Thailand on Wednesday jailed a country singer and political activist for 7-1/2 years, on grounds of insulting the monarchy in a public speech made three years ago. 
 
The conviction swells a list of prosecutions pushed by Thailand`s military - the self-designated protectors of the monarchy - after it seized power in a coup two years ago. 
 
The junta has a zero-tolerance approach to criticism of the monarchy, making use of a draconian lese-majeste law that prescribes a prison term of up to 15 years for each offence. 
 
Thanat Thanawatcharanon, known by his stage name of Tom Dundee, gave waiting media the thumbs-up as he arrived at court on Wednesday, wearing an orange prison uniform. 
 
&quot;The sentence is much longer than we expected,&quot; said his lawyer, Saovalux Po-Ngam. &quot;We can lodge an appeal within a month but have to discuss first whether we will. In my personal view, the law should be scrapped, because the sentences are too long.&quot; 
 
Sentences for royal insults have become increasingly harsh under the junta, and one offender was jailed for a record 30 years in 2015. 
Thanat, who has been in prison since his arrest in 2014, had previously denied the charges but confessed in a sudden about-face in court on Monday. 
 
Confessing to a lese-majeste crime is routine practice in Thailand, where the accused often plead guilty in hopes of a more lenient sentence. 
 
Prosecutors said Thanat made defamatory comments against the monarchy during a 2013 speech to `red shirt` activists at a political rally in the capital, Bangkok. 
 
He was arrested and charged in July 2014, following pressure by an ultra royalist group on Thailand`s Department of Special Investigation to prosecute Thanat. 
 
For much of the past decade, Thailand has been divided along political lines between the mostly rural-based red shirt movement and the royalist-military establishment in the capital and south. 
 
Ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, is revered by Thais who see him as a keystone of Thailand`s identity.

Thailand on Wednesday jailed a country singer and political activist for 7-1/2 years, on grounds of insulting the monarchy in a public speech made three years ago.

Thailand on Wednesday jailed a country singer and political activist for 7-1/2 years, on grounds of insulting the monarchy in a public speech made three years ago. The conviction swells a list of prosecutions pushed by Thailand`s military - the self-designated protectors of the monarchy - after it seized power in a coup two years ago. The junta has a zero-tolerance approach to criticism of the monarchy, making use of a draconian lese-majeste law that prescribes a prison term of up to 15 years for each offence. Thanat Thanawatcharanon, known by his stage name of Tom Dundee, gave waiting media the thumbs-up as he arrived at court on Wednesday, wearing an orange prison uniform. "The sentence is much longer than we expected," said his lawyer, Saovalux Po-Ngam. "We can lodge an appeal within a month but have to discuss first whether we will. In my personal view, the law should be scrapped, because the sentences are too long." Sentences for royal insults have become increasingly harsh under the junta, and one offender was jailed for a record 30 years in 2015. Thanat, who has been in prison since his arrest in 2014, had previously denied the charges but confessed in a sudden about-face in court on Monday. Confessing to a lese-majeste crime is routine practice in Thailand, where the accused often plead guilty in hopes of a more lenient sentence. Prosecutors said Thanat made defamatory comments against the monarchy during a 2013 speech to `red shirt` activists at a political rally in the capital, Bangkok. He was arrested and charged in July 2014, following pressure by an ultra royalist group on Thailand`s Department of Special Investigation to prosecute Thanat. For much of the past decade, Thailand has been divided along political lines between the mostly rural-based red shirt movement and the royalist-military establishment in the capital and south. Ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88, is revered by Thais who see him as a keystone of Thailand`s identity.

Thailand jails country singer for seven years in royal insult case

India&#39;s minister for women and children unveiled a draft of the country&#39;s first-ever comprehensive anti-human trafficking law, which would treat survivors as victims in need of assistance and protection rather than as criminals.

South Asia, with India at its centre, is the fastest-growing and second-largest region for human trafficking in the world, after East Asia, says the U.N. Office for Drugs and Crime.

There are no accurate figures on the number of people trafficked within South Asia, but activists say thousands of them--&nbsp;mostly women and children--&nbsp;are trafficked within India as well as from its poorer neighbours Nepal and Bangladesh.

Many are sold into forced marriage or bonded labour to work in middle class homes as domestic servants, in small shops and hotels or confined to brothels where they are repeatedly raped.

Women&#39;s Minister Maneka Gandhi said the draft bill aims to unify existing anti-trafficking laws, prioritise survivors&#39; needs, and prevent victims such as those found in brothel raids from being arrested and jailed like traffickers.

&quot;The bill shows far more compassion and makes a very clear distinction between the trafficked and the trafficker, which is a nuance that should have been made 60 years ago,&quot; Gandhi said on Monday as she unveiled the draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2016.

The draft legislation provides for special courts to expedite trafficking cases, more shelters and a rehabilitation fund to help victims rebuild their lives.

It also provides for anti-trafficking committees - at district, state and central levels - that will oversee prevention, protection and victim rehabilitation.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, there were 5,466 human trafficking cases registered in 2014, an increase of 90 percent over the past five years, though activists say this is a gross underestimate.

Thousands of Indians &ndash; largely poor, rural women and children &ndash; are lured to big cities each year by traffickers who promise good jobs but sell them into domestic or sex work or to industries such as textile workshops.

In many cases, they are unpaid or held in debt bondage. Some go missing, and their families cannot trace them.

Gandhi said the draft bill would strengthen prosecutions and boost the number of convictions by setting up a special investigative agency to coordinate work between states and collect intelligence on trafficking offences.

There is also a provision for the recovery of fines from the convicted in the draft bill, officials said, and victims who are not paid wages while in servitude will be reimbursed.

The draft bill makes providing narcotic drugs or alcohol for the purpose of trafficking, and using chemical substances or hormones for purposes of exploitation offences.

Gandhi said her ministry would be accepting suggestions until June 30 on how to further improve the proposed bill.

It would then go to all the ministries for their feedback. The final bill could be brought before the Indian parliament by the end of the year, she added.

Problem of human trafficking has been on the rise in the South Asian countries. As economies continue to expand, the demand for labor in industries and sex tourism is at an all-time high.

India's minister for women and children unveiled a draft of the country's first-ever comprehensive anti-human trafficking law, which would treat survivors as victims in need of assistance and protection rather than as criminals. South Asia, with India at its centre, is the fastest-growing and second-largest region for human trafficking in the world, after East Asia, says the U.N. Office for Drugs and Crime. There are no accurate figures on the number of people trafficked within South Asia, but activists say thousands of them-- mostly women and children-- are trafficked within India as well as from its poorer neighbours Nepal and Bangladesh. Many are sold into forced marriage or bonded labour to work in middle class homes as domestic servants, in small shops and hotels or confined to brothels where they are repeatedly raped. Women's Minister Maneka Gandhi said the draft bill aims to unify existing anti-trafficking laws, prioritise survivors' needs, and prevent victims such as those found in brothel raids from being arrested and jailed like traffickers. "The bill shows far more compassion and makes a very clear distinction between the trafficked and the trafficker, which is a nuance that should have been made 60 years ago," Gandhi said on Monday as she unveiled the draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2016. The draft legislation provides for special courts to expedite trafficking cases, more shelters and a rehabilitation fund to help victims rebuild their lives. It also provides for anti-trafficking committees - at district, state and central levels - that will oversee prevention, protection and victim rehabilitation. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, there were 5,466 human trafficking cases registered in 2014, an increase of 90 percent over the past five years, though activists say this is a gross underestimate. Thousands of Indians – largely poor, rural women and children – are lured to big cities each year by traffickers who promise good jobs but sell them into domestic or sex work or to industries such as textile workshops. In many cases, they are unpaid or held in debt bondage. Some go missing, and their families cannot trace them. Gandhi said the draft bill would strengthen prosecutions and boost the number of convictions by setting up a special investigative agency to coordinate work between states and collect intelligence on trafficking offences. There is also a provision for the recovery of fines from the convicted in the draft bill, officials said, and victims who are not paid wages while in servitude will be reimbursed. The draft bill makes providing narcotic drugs or alcohol for the purpose of trafficking, and using chemical substances or hormones for purposes of exploitation offences. Gandhi said her ministry would be accepting suggestions until June 30 on how to further improve the proposed bill. It would then go to all the ministries for their feedback. The final bill could be brought before the Indian parliament by the end of the year, she added.

India unveils first-ever comprehensive draft law on human trafficking

Prime Minister Najib Razak&#39;s government threw its support in parliament this week behind an Islamic penal code that includes amputations and stoning, shocking some of his allies and stoking fears of further strains in the multi-ethnic country.

Critics believe the scandal-tainted prime minister is using &#39;hudud&#39;, the Islamic law, to shore up the backing of Muslim Malay voters and fend off attacks on his leadership ahead of critical by-elections next month and a general election in 2018.

The government on Thursday unexpectedly submitted to parliament a hudud bill that had been proposed by the Islamist group Parti Islam se-Malaysia&#39;s (PAS).

Although debate on the law was deferred to October by PAS leader Abdul Hadi Awang, its submission to parliament brought criticism from leaders across the political spectrum, including allies of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, who represent the ethnic Chinese and Indian communities.

Najib sought to ease tensions with his allies on Friday, saying the bill was &quot;misunderstood&quot;.

&quot;It&#39;s not hudud, but what we refer to as enhanced punishment,&quot; he told a news conference after meeting leaders of his ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party.

&quot;It applies only to certain offences and this comes under the jurisdiction of the Syariah court and is only applicable to the Muslims. It has nothing to do with non-Muslims.&quot; 
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<h5>Many fear such a move would open doors for other states to bring in the Islamic penal code. Hudud stipulates ancient religious punishments for Muslims who violate the law.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Many fear such a move would open doors for other states to bring in the Islamic penal code. Hudud stipulates ancient religious punishments for Muslims who violate the law.">&nbsp;</a></div>
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He added that the punishments would be limited and canings meted out under the law would not injure or draw blood.

Earlier in the day, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a key party in the BN coalition, called the submission of the hudud bill to parliament &quot;unconstitutional&quot;.

&quot;As we repeatedly pointed out, the implementation of Hudud law is against the spirit of the Federal Constitution, and would ruin the inter-ethnic relationship in the country,&quot; MCA President Liow Tiong Lai said.

Arguments for and against the introduction of hudud have divided Malaysia for years. Most of the Southeast Asian country&#39;s states implement sharia, the Islamic legal system, but its reach is restricted by federal law.

Still, the hudud bill appears doomed as the UMNO-led coalition lacks the two-thirds majority needed to pass it into law.

The Islamist party PAS is pushing for a constitutional amendment that would allow hudud to be implemented in Kelantan, a northern state where nightclubs are banned and there are separate public benches for men and women. 
 
&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all. David Lynch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amwriting?src=hash">#amwriting</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/writing?src=hash">#writing</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/writingtip?src=hash">#writingtip</a> <a href="https://t.co/ho15a54eLB">pic.twitter.com/ho15a54eLB</a>
&mdash; The UnNovelist (@TheUnNovelist) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheUnNovelist/status/736501099331489792">May 28, 2016</a></blockquote>

<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>

Many fear such a move would open doors for other states to bring in the Islamic penal code. Hudud stipulates ancient religious punishments for Muslims who violate the law.

&nbsp;

EYEING POLLS

Critics say that Najib, with an eye on by-elections for two parliamentary seats on June 18, is seeking to appease the majority Muslim votebank with his stand on hudud and to deflect attention from a multi-billion-dollar scandal at the state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

They allege Najib was a beneficiary of 1MDB&#39;s funds, after about $680 million was deposited in his bank account before a 2013 election. Najib has denied any wrongdoing.

Some political heavyweights in Najib&#39;s party have questioned whether he can lead them to victory in the 2018 general election. However, he has consolidated power by sacking dissenters within UMNO, which has ruled Malaysia since 1957, and using a controversial and repressive colonial-era sedition law to silence other critics.

Najib seized on the resounding victory of a coalition partner in a Borneo state election earlier month as evidence that he and his government remain popular. The by-elections in peninsula Malaysia are likely to be a closer contest.

&quot;Najib did not want the 1MDB global scandal to become the issue in both by-elections,&quot; said Lim Kit Siang, parliamentary leader of the Democratic Action Party, adding that Najib has ensured the focus will now be on hudud.

People freak out as government decides to base legal code on religion instead of independent moral and intellectual principles

Prime Minister Najib Razak's government threw its support in parliament this week behind an Islamic penal code that includes amputations and stoning, shocking some of his allies and stoking fears of further strains in the multi-ethnic country. Critics believe the scandal-tainted prime minister is using 'hudud', the Islamic law, to shore up the backing of Muslim Malay voters and fend off attacks on his leadership ahead of critical by-elections next month and a general election in 2018. The government on Thursday unexpectedly submitted to parliament a hudud bill that had been proposed by the Islamist group Parti Islam se-Malaysia's (PAS). Although debate on the law was deferred to October by PAS leader Abdul Hadi Awang, its submission to parliament brought criticism from leaders across the political spectrum, including allies of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, who represent the ethnic Chinese and Indian communities. Najib sought to ease tensions with his allies on Friday, saying the bill was "misunderstood". "It's not hudud, but what we refer to as enhanced punishment," he told a news conference after meeting leaders of his ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party. "It applies only to certain offences and this comes under the jurisdiction of the Syariah court and is only applicable to the Muslims. It has nothing to do with non-Muslims." Many fear such a move would open doors for other states to bring in the Islamic penal code. Hudud stipulates ancient religious punishments for Muslims who violate the law. He added that the punishments would be limited and canings meted out under the law would not injure or draw blood. Earlier in the day, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a key party in the BN coalition, called the submission of the hudud bill to parliament "unconstitutional". "As we repeatedly pointed out, the implementation of Hudud law is against the spirit of the Federal Constitution, and would ruin the inter-ethnic relationship in the country," MCA President Liow Tiong Lai said. Arguments for and against the introduction of hudud have divided Malaysia for years. Most of the Southeast Asian country's states implement sharia, the Islamic legal system, but its reach is restricted by federal law. Still, the hudud bill appears doomed as the UMNO-led coalition lacks the two-thirds majority needed to pass it into law. The Islamist party PAS is pushing for a constitutional amendment that would allow hudud to be implemented in Kelantan, a northern state where nightclubs are banned and there are separate public benches for men and women. Even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all. David Lynch #amwriting #writing #writingtip pic.twitter.com/ho15a54eLB — The UnNovelist (@TheUnNovelist) May 28, 2016 Many fear such a move would open doors for other states to bring in the Islamic penal code. Hudud stipulates ancient religious punishments for Muslims who violate the law. EYEING POLLS Critics say that Najib, with an eye on by-elections for two parliamentary seats on June 18, is seeking to appease the majority Muslim votebank with his stand on hudud and to deflect attention from a multi-billion-dollar scandal at the state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). They allege Najib was a beneficiary of 1MDB's funds, after about $680 million was deposited in his bank account before a 2013 election. Najib has denied any wrongdoing. Some political heavyweights in Najib's party have questioned whether he can lead them to victory in the 2018 general election. However, he has consolidated power by sacking dissenters within UMNO, which has ruled Malaysia since 1957, and using a controversial and repressive colonial-era sedition law to silence other critics. Najib seized on the resounding victory of a coalition partner in a Borneo state election earlier month as evidence that he and his government remain popular. The by-elections in peninsula Malaysia are likely to be a closer contest. "Najib did not want the 1MDB global scandal to become the issue in both by-elections," said Lim Kit Siang, parliamentary leader of the Democratic Action Party, adding that Najib has ensured the focus will now be on hudud.

Outrage in multi-ethnic Malaysia as government backs Islamic law

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