An Amanah lawmaker has raised concerns about the effects of raising syariah court punishments to a maximum fine of RM100,000 and 30 years' jail.

Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said a prolonged jail sentence might have an adverse effect on those convicted.

"If you put syariah offenders into the existing prisons, they might go in as good people, but leave as bad people, because it's not a syariah-compliant prison.

"You have to ensure that you have syariah-compliant prisons before jailing people for 30 years," Khalid said at a press conference in Shah Alam today.

He said this after revealing that Amanah has refiled its own parliamentary motion to strengthen the syariah court, which he said focused on administration and the foundation of the court, instead of punishment.

Asked to clarify later, Khalid said he did not mean that syariah-compliant prisons need to be built to jail people for 30 years.

Instead, he meant prison conditions must be improved to provide better welfare for inmates with the aim of rehabilitation, instead of just punishment.

Among the improvements needed, he said, is increased visitation rights for the families of the inmates.

'Can't lump them with hardened criminals'

"You can't just lump these people together with the hardened criminals," Khalid added.

The increased punishment for syariah offences is part of a bill being brought by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act (Act 355).

Besides longer jail terms and more hefty fines, the proposed amendments by Hadi (photo), the MP for Marang, also seek to increase caning to 100 strokes.

The current syariah punishment cap is three years’ imprisonment, RM5,000 fine and six strokes of the cane.

The federal government is slated to adopt the bill once it makes it to the second reading in Parliament, which will sit next month.

However, Khalid said this proposal was too arbitrary, and allowed for disproportionate punishment.

He stressed that although he did not support the bill, it did not mean he doesn't support the strengthening of syariah courts.

Previously, Amanah's motion on syariah courts had been rejected by Parliament speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia.

The motion, among others called for a special committee to review punishments under Act 355 with the aim of educating offenders.

It also called for a review and improvement of the salary scheme for syariah judges, as well as to increase the training and proficiency of syariah court staff.

Khalid said if the Amanah motion is rejected again, then the contents would be brought up when Hadi's bill is debated.