Umno Youth calls for parity between shariah and civil courts

 

Umno Youth said there is a need to empower shariah courts.

PETALING JAYA: Umno Youth has called for the shariah and civil courts to be placed on equal footing, days after the apex court struck out 16 provisions under the Kelantan shariah enactment.

To accomplish this objective, the wing’s chief, Dr Akmal Saleh, urged MPs from both sides of the political divide to table a motion to amend the Federal Constitution.

However, he did not specify what kind of amendment should be made despite claiming the wing’s proposal would be backed by the majority of Malay and Muslim MPs.

In a Facebook post, Akmal said shariah courts should be empowered.

Akmal said before being colonised by the British, several Malayan states had their own laws, premised on the Islamic faith. These included the Malacca Laws (introduced by Sultan Muhammad Shah in the 15th century), the 99 Laws of Perak and Undang-undang Terengganu.

Yesterday, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan called for swift action to resolve all issues that could potentially create “an unstable situation”, following a Federal Court ruling relating to a Kelantan shariah enactment.

He said the party would continue to support any effort to resolve anomalies in the law.

On Friday, the Federal Court struck down 16 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 as they were unconstitutional.

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said the state assembly had no power to enact certain shariah criminal offences contained in the enactment as these were matters that fell within the purview of federal law.

Meanwhile, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi called for the Federal Court’s decision not to be politicised.

Zahid said the decision by the apex court was related to the legislative provisions passed by the Kelantan state legislative assembly and were not about the jurisdiction of shariah courts, Bernama reported.

However, he agreed to a discussion among Muslim MPs on empowering shariah law on the condition that they are not politicised.

“Discussions can be held, but it should not be politically driven,” the Umno president was quoted as saying.

Zahid, who is also Bagan Datuk MP, was responding to Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner Amar Nik Abdullah’s invitation to all parties, especially Muslim MPs, to hold discussions on how shariah law can be strengthened. - FMT