KUALA LUMPUR – A Muslim government agency has urged for an immediate halt to the narrative that Islam is being threatened under the unity government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which has been peddled by certain irresponsible quarters.
Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) chief executive Zamri Zainal Abidin emphasises that the Federal Court’s ruling on the Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid case was free from political interference, aligning with the separation of powers doctrine practised in the country across administrative, legislative, and judicial branches.
He warned that baseless polemics surrounding the case could create confusion and a negative atmosphere in society.
“We call on all parties to remain calm and approach this case appropriately. Negative comments, especially those freely circulated on social media, do not contribute positively but instead sow confusion,” Zamri said in a statement today.
Yadim fully supports the efforts of the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, in conducting an immediate study on the judgement.
Zamri said this will be followed by comprehensive planning to ensure the continuous improvement of the shariah court.
He said Yadim is confident that the position of the shariah court in Malaysia remains intact, as clearly outlined in the Malaysian constitution.
“We stand ready to provide full assistance and cooperation as a reliable channel for disseminating accurate information to the public on this issue and other related matters, empowering the Islamic religion in our beloved Malaysia,” Zamri said.
Yesterday, the Federal Court nullified 16 provisions of offences in the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code Enactment (I) 2019, contended by Nik Elin and her daughter, Tengku Yasmin Nastasha Tengku Abdul Rahman.
Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat delivered the majority ruling in favour of Nik Elin and her daughter to strike out 16 out of 18 provisions challenged by the duo.
The duo, in 2022, initiated a constitutional challenge against 20 provisions under the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019, seeking the court’s declaration to nullify them.
The mother-daughter duo contended that they bear resemblance to existing provisions within the federal lists and offences outlined in the Penal Code.
However, they dropped two sections, namely Section 5 (false claims) and Section 37 (gambling), at the onset of the suit hearing.
Today, the majority of judges also decided that the provisions that were dropped are indeed legal.
Apart from these two, Tengku Maimun also said that Section 13 (selling or offering children to individuals who are not of the Muslim faith or to morally objectionable Muslim individuals) and Section 30 (language that has the potential to incite unrest or disturb public order) out of the 18 remaining provisions are legal.
This left 16 provisions, including Section 14 (sodomy) and Section 48 (a person acting as a procurer between a female and male for prostitution purposes), being nullified by the majority of the panel of judges. – February 10, 2024