Non-Muslims in Malaysia have a right to weigh in on laws for Muslims, as they too could be affected by its enforcement, says de facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim.

In an interview with The Star, Anwar cited as an example the debate on proposed amendments to the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court.

While some laws only appeared to affect Muslims, he noted, these invariably affect non-Muslims as well.

“They (proponents of the Bill) speak as if we are all in Islam and that’s it; nobody else should bother.

"They (non-Muslims) have a right to bother," he said, in reference to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s proposed Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act (Act 355).

"Any legislation, though it seems to purely affect only Muslims, will inevitably affect non-Muslims, and therefore they have every right to participate.”

Acknowledging concerns from non-Muslims over Hadi’s bill, Anwar said it was triggered by the fear on how it could ultimately affect them.

"Their fear is that it will be like a Trojan horse. We have to navigate and weigh these issues well," he was quoted as saying.

Anwar noted that as much as PKR supported Hadi’s right as an MP to present the proposed bill, the party also emphasised that other lawmakers should have the right to debate, amend or to reject the Bill.

"This is because what is presented is not hudud, and secondly, it is his (Hadi’s) interpretation," he added.

'PKR not against Islam'

In the interview, Anwar further urged the public to study PKR’s stand on Act 355 more closely, which the party issued in the form of the Pemerkasaan Perundangan Syariah di Malaysia (Strengthening Syariah Law in Malaysia) booklet uploaded on its website.

"We are not liberals who refuse to apply Islamic tenets.

"We represent the Islamic conscience, but we do not represent this outmoded ultra-conservative Islam that wants to compel others to accept a particular interpretation," he stressed.

In line with Pakatan Harapan's commitment to free the press, Anwar expressed hope that it would create space for more dialogues and an exchange of views over the issue.

"I am confident that if a debate takes place, and is referred to authoritative views on Act 355, it (the proposed bill) will not last," said Anwar.

Hadi first tabled a private member’s bill to amend Act 355 in 2016, which if approved, would grant the Syariah Court the power to impose stiffer penalties on all crimes except those involving the death sentence.

The bill seeks to raise the punishment for syariah offences to 30 years' jail, an RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the cane.

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

Hadi originally sought to remove the punishment cap altogether, only stopping short of the death penalty, but revised the proposed amendments after discussions with the government.

The bill was tabled three times in Parliament, but was never debated.