MCA Youth's Legal Bureau has questioned why the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) wants a syariah police unit, as Islamic matters fall under the purview of the respective states.

The MCA wing's chairperson Choo Wei Sern said he was deeply concerned by the wayward focus of the new police unit, which is to be set up with the co-operation of the Home Ministry.

He said the proposal by Jakim should be rejected as the police force was already overstretched, adding that MCA Youth is willing to lend a hand to stamp out crime should the police need it.

"The MCA Youth Legal Bureau is of the view that it is plainly wrong and improper for the police to enforce religious laws, a subject which is outside and beyond their scope of responsibilities and duties.

"The police should instead focus on their primary responsibility and duty to uphold internal security and public order; to combat crime which is a cause of major concern by many Malaysians," Choo said in a statement.

Jakim's director-general Othman Mustafa had said on Saturday that the syariah police force would be finalised soon and would comprise of graduates with Islamic studies degrees.

Such a force was first mooted by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in December as a means to battle the spread of deviant teachings , including Shiism.