Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaaob said after the draft of RUU 355 is finalised, it would be presented to states for discussion.

“Throughout 2020 and 2021, the government, through the Syarak and Civil Law Technical Committee, under the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs, held a series of meetings to discuss RUU 355.

“This is to look into various aspects, especially the constitution and syarak law so that RUU 355 is more comprehensive and further strengthens the criminal jurisdiction of the shariah courts,” he said in a written reply posted on the Parliament website.

Ismail was responding to a question from Khalid Abdul Samad (PH-Shah Alam), who asked the prime minister to state the strategic plan to strengthen the shariah courts through the amendment of RUU 355 this year.

The proposed amendment to RUU 355 was tabled by Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS-Marang) for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on May 26, 2016 as a private member’s bill.

However, the debate on it was postponed and a revised version was tabled in November 2016 and April 2017.

RUU 355 aims to increase the jurisdiction of the shariah courts and punish shariah criminal offences without involving the non-Muslim community.

Commenting further, Ismail said the government would always take steps to strengthen the position of the shariah courts for them to be on par with the civil courts.

“Among the steps that have been taken to empower and improve the shariah courts, in line with current developments, is to establish a committee to study and enact the Syariah Courts (Federal Territories) Act 2022 (Courts Bill).”

He said the empowerment of shariah courts includes increasing the level of competence of shariah judges, shariah prosecutors and religious enforcement officers, improving governance and infrastructure of shariah courts, and the amendment of existing shariah laws.