June 19, 2002	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 7, 1423

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday vowed to block an opposition party’s plan to introduce Shariat and warned its leaders they could be headed for hell.

Describing the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) as deviationist, Mahathir told an impromptu news conference the government would if possible prevent the party from enacting a version of Shariat in a state under its control.

Referring to the plan by Terengganu state chief minister Abdul Hadi Awang, Mahathir said: “He will sin because he approves laws that are unfair and when he dies he will face hell.

“Because he has approved laws that are not based on true Islamic teachings and tarnish the true teachings of Islam he will receive his punishment on judgement day.”

He said the government would study PAS’s plans and “if we have the power, we will prevent the implementation of such unfair laws.” Mahathir said opposition by his United Malays National Organisation to PAS’s proposals would not make the party unIslamic.—AFP