Law minister: Syariah bills not yet brought to cabinet, must get nod from all states
He added that if these proposed laws were to be brought to Parliament, they must first be consented to by all states.
Religion falls under...
De facto Law Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said a number of proposed syariah legislation, including the Restriction on the Propagation of Non-Muslim Religions Bill, have yet to be brought to the cabinet.
He added that if these proposed laws were to be brought to Parliament, they must first be consented to by all states.
Religion falls under state jurisdiction. Most states already have a similar law regulating the propagation of non-Muslim religions, but Sarawak, Sabah and Penang do not have one.
"Religion falls under the states, even if the federal government makes (laws on them) they are not really binding.
"We need to engage the states on whether they agree or not. Politicians like to talk but on the question of implementation - if a state does not agree, then it won't happen," said Wan Junaidi, who is part of the state ruling coalition GPS in Sarawak.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Ahmad Marzuk Shaary, who is from PAS, had announced that several proposed syariah laws were still in the pipeline under the new government.
They were proposed under the previous Muhyiddin Yasin government.
The other bills are the Wakaf Bill, Mufti Bill and Syariah Court Bill.
Marzuk also said several other legislations, such as the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355), will be amended under a five-year plan (2020-2025).
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