Syariah laws to be streamlined, says Mujahid

EFFORTS are being made by the government to streamline and coordinate Syariah laws nationwide, says Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said a study was being conducted on the need to amend Syariah laws that were being enforced in the respective states to ensure they were still relevant without setting aside Islamic law and the principles of justice.

“Apart from that, a study on the amendment and streamlining of laws on Syariah crime is also carried out because the laws have yet to be coordinated, in terms of their offences and punishment.

“The lack of coordination can leads to injustice,” he said in reply to a question from Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PAS-Sik) on efforts by the government to coordinate Syariah laws in the country.

Dr Mujahid said a study on the punishments under Syariah criminal law was conducted to ensure they were more rehabilitative, apart from retributive, such as imposing community service.

The government is also formulating a law for Syariah lawyers to be enforced in the Federal Territory and as a model for the states.

In the process of coordinating the laws, he said, the government, through the Technical Committee on Syariah and Civil Laws under the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, would discuss the matter with the state governments.

“Laws that are proposed for coordination will be tabled at the meeting of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs and then presented to the Conference of Rulers for consent,” he said.

Dr Mujahid said the effort would require the cooperation of the state governments. — Bernama