Kedah to consult sultan on similar shariah laws, after apex court ruling

 

Sanusi Nor said he would refer the matter to Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah to determine if Kedah should take any action following the ruling.

PETALING JAYA: As seven of Kedah’s shariah laws are similar to the 16 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 that were struck down on grounds of unconstitutionality last week, the state government will refer the matter to the sultan.

Menteri besar Sanusi Nor said the impact of last Friday’s Federal Court ruling needs to be examined in detail.

He said the Kedah government would refer the matter to Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah to determine if the state should take any action following the ruling.

Meanwhile, Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar yesterday said the state government would examine all aspects of Terengganu’s shariah criminal law to ensure it did not contradict federal law.

On Friday, the apex court struck down 16 criminal offences contained in Kelantan’s Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019, holding that they violated the Federal Constitution.

Delivering the 8-1 majority decision, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the Kelantan state assembly did not have jurisdiction to legislate on those matters. - FMT