States must be consulted before Hadi’s RUU 355 bill is tabled, says deputy minister

States must be consulted before Hadi’s RUU 355 bill is tabled, says deputy minister

Ahmad Marzuk Shaary says provisions related to the powers of the shariah courts rest with the states.

PAS members and supporters at a ‘Support RUU 355’ rally organised by the party in Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR:
The private member’s bill by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to allow shariah courts wider powers will need to be discussed with various state governments before being tabled in Parliament, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary said this was to obtain their views on the bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, better known as RUU 355.

“Even though RUU 355 is a federal law, its provisions relate to the powers of the shariah courts. The written laws that cover shariah criminal offences are placed under the authority of the states,” he said.

He was responding to a supplementary question by Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas), who asked the government to explain why the RUU 355 amendments cannot be tabled in Parliament first, before engaging in negotiations with the different state governments.

Marzuk gave an assurance the government was committed to tabling the bill. However, he said it must first look into a few important processes.

“This is so it can be drafted and tabled properly according to the Federal Constitution,” he said.

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