By NNN-Bernama,
Seremban, Malaysia : Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has asked the state governments to help realise the federal government’s efforts in streamlining the syariah (Islamic) law in the country.
He said with cooperation of the state governments, the syariah law could be raised to the level of the civil law.
“The harmonisation of the syariah law (among the states) is still being deliberated and the process has to be carried out to ward off suspiciousness (among the people),” he told reporters after opening the 18th Streamlining of the Syarak and Civil Laws Conference here Saturday.
The proposal could only be implemented through the commitment of the state governments, he said, adding that he had discussed the matter with his Cabinet colleague, Zaid Ibrahim who is responsible for the judiciary.
Zahid said before the syariah law was harmonised, the government would consider the views of syariah experts to avoid any misunderstanding from the non-Muslims. “We don’t want any friction as a result of suspicion, culminating in uneasiness and rejection from the people. The views of syariah experts are important to set the direction of the syariah law,” he said.
Present were Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, Syarie chief judge Ibrahim Lembut, and Syarak and Civil Laws Technical Committee chairman Sheikh Ghazali Abd. Rahman.
Among others, the conference discussed a proposal to compel Muslim converts to inform their families of their religious status and to empower Jakim in dealing with syariah crimes.