RELIGIOUS Affairs Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said the government will proceed for a second and third reading of the Mufti Bill in this Parliamentary session starting next Monday (Oct 14).
“There is no RUU 355, as decided, we will present the Mufti Bill,” he told reporters during a press conference on Friday (Oct 11).
@malaysiagazette MGNews : RUU 355 Tidak Dibentang Pada Sesi Parlimen Minggu Depan – Na’im Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Mohd. Na’im Mokhtar mengesahkan Rang Undang-Undang (RUU) Akta Mahkamah Syariah (Bidang Kuasa Jenayah) 1965 (RUU 355) tidak akan dibentangkan pada sesi Parlimen minggu depan. #malaysiagazette #RUU355 #SidangParlimen ♬ original sound – malaysiagazette
The Mufti Bill has attracted a lot of attention for what rights activists call ‘the far-reaching consequences this legislation poses.’
The Mufti Bill is part of a broader five-year roadmap to strengthen Shariah laws within the Federal Territories.
Critics including groups like Aliran, activist Siti Kasim, and several news portals, have raised concerns that the proposed Mufti Bill poses a significant threat to individual freedoms, human rights, and the accountability of institutions as enshrined in Malaysia’s Constitution.
They argued that the bill could erode fundamental liberties while undermining the principles of transparency and institutional checks and balances.
Additionally, it risks breaching Malaysia’s international commitments to humanitarian values and Islamic moderation, as outlined in the Amman Message, which emphasised tolerance, coexistence, and respect for human rights within the framework of Islamic teachings.
On the RUU 355, PAS president and Marang MP Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang first introduced the amendment as a private member’s bill in 1996.
The proposed amendment aims to extend the jurisdiction of Shariah Courts beyond the current limits of RM5,000 fines, three years’ imprisonment, or six strokes of the cane to better align with Shariah law while excluding the death penalty. – Oct 12, 2024
Main photo credit: Bernama
