Religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar said this would involve a bill to give shariah courts the power to order the payments of parental maintenance (nafkah), as well as changes to the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984.

The new laws are expected to be tabled in March before being enacted next year.

Na’im said Islam already demands that Muslims support parents who are poor or unable to work.

“The government is committed to ensuring that Muslims carry out their duty of supporting their parents who are old, have no income, or cannot support themselves, especially as we move towards becoming an ageing nation by 2030.

“Through the shariah judiciary department, the government is taking proactive steps to draft a new law… with clearer and more specific provisions on nafkah and the care of parents,” he told the Dewan Rakyat in response to a question from Aminolhuda Hassan (PH-Sri Gading).

The minister said the amendment to the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984 would be brought to the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs to serve as a model law for all states.

Na’im said some shariah courts already used broad provisions in state Islamic laws to order Muslims to support their parents.

However, there are no clear laws for salary-deduction orders, which he said would be addressed in the proposed law.