GE14 | Questions have arisen among the syariah legal fraternity over syariah judges being used to help campaign for Jamil Khir Bahrom in Jerai for the 14th general election.
This follows a group of judges spending time in the parliamentary constituency, where Jamil Khir is offering free advice on syariah matters to constituents.
A letter by the Syariah Officers Association (PPSM) president Ibrahim Deris, who is also KL Syariah court chief judge, calls the association's legal advice programme a “social service” for Jerai constituents.
Ibrahim’s letter is addressed to his fellow judges – with the “YAA” acronym being used, referring to Yang Amat Arif (Your honourable judges).
The judge was also quoted in the Sahabat Syarie blog as saying the programme shows the government’s commitment to uplift the syariah courts holistically to resolve the people's problems.
Lawyer Syed Iskandar Syed Jaafar al-Mahdzar has taken issue with this, questioning whether these judges are helping Jamil Khir in his campaign.
"If you want to offer advice of syariah procedures or laws, why use judges instead of lawyers to give free advice?
"Furthermore, why is this being done during the election period? Is it a coincidence? The Election Commission and the MACC should investigate this," he told Malysiakini.
Islamic matters at the federal level are under the purview of Jamil Khir, a caretaker minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
Syed Iskandar also highlighted Practice Directive I of the Syariah Judges Code of Ethics 2001, which states that syariah court judges are forbidden from participating in political activities.
As civil court judges do not do so, he added, neither should syariah court judges.
The lawyer also confirmed that the people pictured with Jamil Khir standing in front of the Jerai Umno building in images being circulated are syariah judges and staff.
Malaysiakini has also independently identified some of those in the picture to be syariah judges.
Jamil Khir and his aide Md Zan Sha'ari have been contacted by Malaysiakini for their response, but no reply has been received as yet. - Mkini
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