Crowd gathers for prayer at Putrajaya as court to decide on challenge against syariah law

PUTRAJAYA: As the Federal Court decides on the constitutional challenge by Nik Elin Zurina Nik, PAS supporters outside have begun a special prayer (solat hajat).

Outside the Palace of Justice on Friday (Feb 8), scores of supporters have congregated as the Federal Court was scheduled to deliver a verdict on the legal challenge by lawyer Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid against 18 provisions under Kelantan’s syariah criminal enactment.

Dozens of the party’s Unit Amal members are also on the ground directing supporters.

A noticeable police presence could also be seen with numerous uniformed policemen patrolling the areas around the court complex.

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Last year, Nik Elin and her daughter Tengku Yasmin Nastasha Tengku Abdul Rahman filed a constitutional challenge against 18 provisions under Kelantan’s syariah criminal enactment.

In the petition, the mother-daughter duo argued that these provisions, which included punishments for incest, gambling, necrophilia, sodomy and sexual harassment, among others, were invalid as they were already covered by federal law.

Both also argued that the power to legislate criminal matters belongs to Parliament, as state assemblies only had the right to enact laws concerning the Islamic faith.