PETALING JAYA: Describing it as a proactive step and a demonstration of the state's commitment to upholding syariah laws, the PAS ulama council gave the Kelantan government the thumbs up for its decision to table the Syariah Criminal Offences (Kelantan) Bill 2026 at the upcoming state legislative assembly sitting.
Council chief Datuk Ahmad Yahaya said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 6) that the move reflected the PAS-led state government's determination to safeguard the legitimacy of syariah legislation while exercising the powers accorded to states under the Federal Constitution.
He said the state government had also taken a positive step by ensuring that the drafting of the new Bill took into account the Federal Court's landmark ruling in the case of Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid and another versus the Kelantan government that was delivered on Feb 9, 2024.
The Federal Court had struck down 16 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment 2019 after ruling that the state legislature had enacted laws on matters that fell within Parliament's jurisdiction.
Ahmad expressed hope that the Kelantan government's initiative would receive broad support to ensure efforts to preserve and strengthen Syariah laws could continue.
On Tuesday, Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan announced that the Syariah Criminal Offences (Kelantan) Bill 2026 would be tabled during the state assembly sitting next week.
He said the proposed legislation had been drafted in line with the Federal Court's decision and the constitutional limits on state legislative powers.
