KUALA LUMPUR – The amendments to the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also known as RUU355, is expected to be tabled next year, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PAS-Pengkalan Chepa) told the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said RUU355 had been drafted at the meeting on October 1-3 by the technical committee comprising former chief syarie judges, former appellate judges, and several practitioners of shariah and civil law.
“After a successful drafting, we plan to make a presentation to the states through a legal dialogue ceremony and a conference on Islamic and civil law scheduled next year,” he said.
“The forum will involve the state religious council, the state shariah courts and the Mufti Department, where it will be discussed and debated.”
Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas) asked a supplementary question on whether the government can table RUU355 before discussions with state governments.
Ahmad Marzuk said although this is federal law, the provisions under RUU355 are related to the jurisdiction of the Shariah Court and the written law that provides for shariah criminal offenses that are under state jurisdiction.
“That is why it is very appropriate in the government’s view that the proposal is negotiated with the states first.”
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi tabled RUU355 in the Dewan Rakyat for the first time on May 26, 2016, but postponed the debate and tabled a revised version in November 2016.
The presentation of the motion marked the first private bill by Hadi that reached the tabling and debate stage.
The RUU355 was aimed at strengthening the Shariah Court and introducing more severe criminal punishments. – The Vibes, November 26, 2020
