Putrajaya says Islamic law must be in line with constitution

Minister in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom says Islamic law but be in line with the Federal Constitution. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, May 28, 2015. 

With PAS adamant on implementing hudud in Kelantan, Putrajaya said that any move to enforce Islamic laws in Malaysia has to be in accordance with the Federal Constitution and correspond with existing laws to fulfil principles of fairness and justice.

Minister in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said any state government that wants to implement Islamic legislation has to ensure it is in line with the Federal Constitution.

"Any move to implement Islamic laws has to be done in an orderly way according to the Federal Constitution framework, especially in limiting its use towards Muslims only, to ensure the preservation of national harmony and stability," he said in a written reply to Ng Wei Aik (DAP-Tanjong).

PAS-led Kelantan in March passed the amendments to the Shariah Criminal Code II Enactment 1993 (Amendment 2015) to pave the way for the east coast state to implement the Islamic law, which among others, has provisions like death by stoning for adultery with married partners, whipping of between 40 and 80 lashes for consuming alcohol and amputation of limbs for theft.

The move has angered the Islamist party's allies PKR and DAP, who have insisted that hudud was not part of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat's common policy framework.

The relationship between Pakatan leaders worsened when PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang submitted a private member's bill at the last parliament sitting to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 which governs the scope of punishments meted out by the shariah courts.

Although the motion was listed in Parliament's order paper, it was never debated as convention dictates that government business has to be completed first.

Hadi is said to have resubmitted the private member's bill but it has yet to be listed on this sitting's order paper.

- TMI