Jais continues statewide patrols to nab Muslims who disrespect Ramadan month

MIRI: The Syariah Enforcement Division under the Islamic Affairs Department Sarawak (Jais) is monitoring and conducting patrols at strategic places across the state throughout this Ramadan to nab Muslims who disrespect the fasting month by either eating, drinking or smoking in public during daytime.

According to Jais Syariah Enforcement Division head Wan Shaifuddin Wan Madihi, the patrolling is being run with the help of local authorities.

“In this Ramadan month, we are just doing patrols with police and not operations, in that this is not a sizeable offence. More specifically, if we find a Muslim who is not fasting, we will advise that person to respect the holy month of Ramadan and ask him to come to the office for counselling – if necessary.

“However if the offender clearly does not respect Ramadan and refuses to fast on purpose, only then would we issue a summons to that person, open a file and the rest would be up to the Syariah Court,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.

He said for the first offence, the offender could face a fine not exceeding RM1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both, upon conviction under Section 14 of Syariah Criminal Offence Ordinance 2001.

Commenting on the prohibition by the Enforcement Division of Islamic Affairs Department Perlis (JAIP) for traders in that state to sell cooked food before 2pm during Ramadan, Wan Shaifuddin said it had nothing to do with Jais.

“I really cannot comment on that – it is more on that particular state’s policy. So far, we (Jais) are conducting our duties under the ( Sarawak) jurisdiction only,” he added.