The standardisation and coordination of syariah laws nationwide are expected at the end of next year, Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa (photo, above) said.

Speaking at the Department of Syariah Judiciary Malaysia (DSJM) Hari Raya open house in Putrajaya today, he said that a 40 percent progress had been achieved in the effort.

”We are standardising the syariah criminal enactment nationwide because everybody knows today that the punishments for the same offences differ from state to state. This is not good to show justice in Islam,” he said.

The minister said DSJM and the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) legal division had been asked to implement the standardisation and coordination by using the Federal Territories Act 1993 as the model.

Mujahid said the Council of Rulers had in principle agreed with DSJM’s move to standardise the syariah criminal laws in the country.

He added that he would meet with the respective states’executive councillors in charge of religious affairs to discuss the matter.

”We will also look at the state enactments and adopt them if we see that they provide the best option, but the bottom line is that all syariah laws will eventually be the same (throughout Malaysia),” he said.

The minister also said a study on the syariah criminal laws is being done to ensure the punishments meted out are more rehabilitative in nature.

“At present, the punishments are punitive in nature because the judges have no choice but to dish out caning and jail. If they want to free wrongdoers with a good behaviour bond, it is not provided under the current laws.

”Since the philosophy is not just to punish people...syariah judges can use punishments which are rehabilitative in nature such as good behaviour bond and community service sentence,” he said.

- Bernama