KOTA BARU: A majority of the 24 provisions in Kelantan's Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 that came into force recently, are not new laws, said Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.
The deputy menteri besar said the state government only updated certain offences in the enactment so it would be in line with the current situation.
"This enactment was tabled in the State Assembly since 2019 and a majority of the provisions are not new as they are already listed as Syariah offences.
"But the state government wants the existing Syariah offences to be expanded.
"We brought up the issue during the State Assembly in October 2019 and it was later passed. Hopefully, the enforcement of this enactment will go smoothly," he said.
Mohd Amar who is also Panchor assemblyman hoped the enforcement of this enactment would strengthen the Syariah law in the state.
Early this month, Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V consented to the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019.
Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob was reported to have said under the enactment, Syariah courts would have the power to hear cases where the punishments include a jail term of not more than three years and a fine or six strokes of the rotan.
Ahmad said the enforcement of the enactment was aimed at educating and bringing the offenders back to the right path of Islam, not just merely punishing them.
The enactment was tabled at the State Assembly in October 2019 before it was passed and eventually receiving royal assent on July 14, 2020, and gazetted on Dec 31, 2020.
There were 24 new provisions in the enactment relating to matters such as witchcraft, false claims, attempts to convert out of Islam, distortion of Islamic teachings, disrespecting the month of Ramadan, destroying houses of worship, among others.