It is inaccurate to link the acceptance of a syariah-compliant scheme by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to acceptance of the implementation of a syariah penal code, MCA says.

This is because EPF's Simpanan Shariah is optional while one cannot escape the syariah penal code once it is enforced, MCA syariah law and police implementation special task force committee member Kevin Koo said today.

Yesterday, PAS leaders said the acceptance of the syariah-compliant EPF scheme shows Malaysians are also ready for syariah in legislation.

"Truly, there is no compulsion in the EPF scheme. It might even be scrapped in a few years’ time if it performs poorly. An amendment to Act 355 is a journey of no return.

"It is a law that can be expanded in scope, or, if done away completely, blows open the door completely to allow the full imposition of syariah criminal law on non-Muslims.

"With increasing puritanical mores, the temptation of legislators to outdo previous legislators could lead to our country descending into full-scale religious-based theocratic abidance in all areas of society and even in all institutions. Its effect on non-Muslims will be terrible," Koo said in a statement.

He was referring to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's Private Member's Bill on amendments to Act 355, which deals with the jurisdiction of syariah court to mete out criminal punishments.

Hadi wants to lift the limit so that the syariah court can mete out punishment beyond the current three years' jail, six strokes of the rotan and maximum fine of RM5,000.

Critics say this would pave the way for the hudud, as this means syariah courts in states that have enactments allowing hudud will be able to mete out such penalties.

The two states having such enactments are Terengganu and Kelantan.