KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 – Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today said that he has no intention to get involved in the ongoing polemics on the Federal Court’s recent decision in declaring 16 provisions under the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment 2019 null and void.
“There are arguments that provide the true impact of the court’s decision on the case, but there are also comments based on certain interests to the extent of confusing the Muslims in the country.
“Some have even described the Federal Court’s decision as the ‘Black Friday’ moment for Syariah criminal law in this country. I do not intend to get involved in those polemics,” Sultan Sharafuddin who is also chairman of the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) said when presiding over the 71st meeting of MKI in Putrajaya today.
On Feb 9, the Federal Court in an 8-1 majority decision allowed an application by two Muslim women to nullify 16 provisions under the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment 2019.
The landmark decision was delivered by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat who led a panel of nine judges.
Tengku Maimun ruled that Sections 11, 14, 16, 17, 31, 34, 36, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48 of the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (1) Enactment 2019 are null and void.
