COMMENT The Islamic Renaissance Front reads reports of Kedah’s new fatwa ruling with alarm.

According to the English language daily The Sta r, the ruling enacted by the Kedah state assembly on Tuesday will ensure that a fatwa decided by the mufti and fatwa committee “cannot be challenged, appealed, reviewed, denied or questioned in any civil court or syariah court”.

This ban against any challenge to all of Kedah’s fatwas practically grants the mufti and fatwa committee absolute say in matters concerning religion - a clear breach of democracy...