KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah state legislative assembly today passed a bill that will see the establishment of a Syariah Supreme Court as well as lay out the jurisdiction of related Syariah courts in the state,
Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs exco Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif tabled the Syariah Courts Enactment Bill 2024 on the second day of the sitting today.
He said the bill was drafted to establish new laws, including provisions related to the establishment of the Syariah Supreme Court.
Mohd Arifin, who is also state Science, Technology and Innovation minister, said the structure and jurisdiction of the Syariah Courts should be strengthened by adding another higher layer of courts to provide a broader scope for review and appeals from the lower courts upwards.
He said at present, there are three layers of courts in the Sabah's Syariah judiciary structure, namely the Lower Syariah Court, the Syariah High Court and the Syariah Court of Appeal.
"This bill will also involve changes in the jurisdiction of each court, the appeals process and reviews as well as the appointment of judges, registrars, and mediation officers for each court," he said.
In debating the bill, Datuk Amisah Yassin (Appointed - Gagasan) said with the establishment of the Syariah Supreme Court, the public would have the opportunity to have their cases heard through two court levels, namely the Court of Appeal and ultimately, the Supreme Court.
"We do not want to hear about backlog issues that can inconvenience the people.
"Let's find the best ways and methods to facilitate matters for those dealing with the Syariah Courts, especially cases involving oppressed women and single mothers," she said.
The sitting today also passed State Islamic Religious Council of Sabah (Amendment) 2024, Syariah Court Act (Amendment) 2024, and Syariah Court Procedure Rules (Amendment) 2024.