KUALA LUMPUR: Pas secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan's "Black Friday" remark is highly provocative and dangerous, bordering on incitement, said the G25 group.
G25 said with Takiyuddin's legal background and experience as the Kota Baru Member of Parliament, he should have been well-versed in the technicalities of the case.
However, he chose to politicise the issue for his interests.
"Being a lawyer and a former Minister for legal affairs under Tan Sri Muhyiddin's administration, Dato' Takiyuddin should have known better.
"He ought to have advised the crowd to respect the judgment of the Federal Court and to take heed of the ruling instead of taking the opportunity to make the judgment a political issue," the group said in a statement today.
Yesterday, the Apex Court decision ruled out that 16 of the 18 provisions under the Kelantan Syariah criminal enactment are unconstitutional.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2024/02/1011445/heres-list-16-k...
Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said only two provisions are constitutional in this case's list brought to court.
In response, Takiyuddin expressed his disappointment, labelling yesterday as the "Black Friday" of Islamic Syariah law.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/02/1011495/takiyuddin-disappoint...
He claimed that the invalidation of these enactments in Kelantan threatened other states.
G25 also commended the Federal Court for its landmark judgment, declaring several provisions/sections of the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 null and void.
"We also applaud Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid and her daughter, Tengku Yasmin Natasha Tengku Abdul Rahman, for their courage and initiative in filing the petition and challenging it.
"We hope that the Kelantan State Government will take the judgment in the right spirit and make the necessary amendments to the State Syariah Criminal Code by removing the impugned provisions to ensure conformity with the Federal Constitution."
With this, the group added that the Federal Court's judgment in Nik Elin's case should serve as a reminder to State Governments when passing State legislation.
"They should ensure that the intended legislation does not contradict the Federal Constitution.
"It is essential that State Legal advisers possess expertise in constitutional law and remain vigilant when drafting regulations for the States.
"They must also have the courage to advise the State Governments they serve on the division of legislative powers between the States and the Federation, as well as the limits of the States' legislative powers."