“THESE LAWS WHICH TURN ALL MANNER OF SINS INTO CRIMES AGAINST THE STATE HAVE LED TO CONFUSION AND DISPUTE IN BOTH SUBSTANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION. In a strongly-worded open letter, a group of 25 influential Malays called on the federal government to review Shariah criminal offences and assert the supremacy of the Federal Constitution over Islamic state laws in the country. The group, dominated by some of the country’s most senior-ranking civil servants who have since retired from duty, expressed its dismay over the unresolved disputes on the position and application of Islamic laws in Malaysia, which it said reflect a “serious breakdown” of the division of powers between the federal authority and the states. “We refer specifically to the current situation where religious bodies seem to be asserting authority beyond their jurisdiction; where issuance of various fatwa violate the Federal Constitution and breach the democratic and consultative process of shura,” the group said in a statement emailed late last night. “Where the rise of supremacist NGOs accusing dissenting voices of being anti-Islam, anti-monarchy and anti-Malay has made attempts at rational discussion and conflict resolution difficult; and most importantly, where the use of the Sedition Act hangs as a constant threat to silence anyone with a contrary opinion,” it added.……….. “These developments undermine Malaysia’s commitment to democratic principles and rule of law, breed intolerance and bigotry, and have heightened anxieties over national peace and stability.” - See more at: themalaymailonline/malaysia/article/review-shariah-laws-assert-supremacy-of-constitution-putrajaya-told#sthash.ly464owJ.dpuf
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 01:27:51 +0000
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