Selangor PAS has strongly condemned the death threats issued against lawyer Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid over the latter’s constitutional challenge to provisions under the Kelantan syariah law.
Its deputy chief Mohd Shafie Ngah, in a statement today, asserted that the death threats are an extreme act that violates Islamic ethics and morals.
“It also violates the country’s law, even if it was done in the name of defending the power of the state legislature and syariah law,” Shafie said in a statement today.
“Selangor PAS hopes that the police will speed up the investigation from all aspects in a thorough manner and the attorney-general will immediately file charges in court if they have complete evidence.”
He also said the Islamist party’s Selangor chapter takes the five police reports of death threats made against Nik Elin (above) seriously.
On Feb 9, a Federal Court bench of nine judges in an 8-1 majority decision allowed a petition by Nik Elin and her daughter Tengku Yasmin Nastasha Tengku Abdul Rahman to nullify 18 Kelantan syariah criminal provisions.
The court ruled that Kelantan’s legislature exceeded its lawmaking power contained in the State List (List II) of the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
However, the apex court only allowed 16 out of the 18 to be invalidated.
‘Black Friday’
Following this, Nik Elin on Feb 11 told the New Straits Times there have been “countless threats” on her life, along with numerous other online attacks and threats to sembelih (slaughter) her.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil in his statement today said while PAS had objected to the legal challenge, this was done through peaceful protests that did not disrupt public order or damage property.
PAS and Perikatan Nasional had staged several demonstrations against Nik Elin’s legal challenge, claiming that Islamic law was under threat.
When the Federal Court ruled in her favour, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan lamented it as a “black Friday” for the country’s syariah judicial system.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang previously labelled judges as “unwise” (bijaksini, as opposed to bijaksana) and whose “minds are influenced by colonial thinking”.
Although Hadi’s statement on Feb 14 did not provide context, it is believed that the Marang MP was referring to the Federal Court’s decision on Nik Elin’s case.
Hadi also lamented that Islamic countries were losing their integrity in maintaining colonial laws, despite the country achieving independence.
He said while it is stipulated in the Federal Constitution that Islam is the country’s official religion, other religions can be practised freely.
However, he claimed that many legislative amendments have since been made by neglecting Islamic interests. - Mkini
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