ALOR STAR: A bill to include the Syariah court in Kedah's Constitution has been passed by the state legislative assembly.
The Kedah State Constitution (Amendment 2024) Bill, tabled by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor was approved unanimously during today's sitting.
Sanusi informed the House that the amendment was in line with the Sultan of Kedah's decree for the Syariah court to be empowered and placed under the state Constitution.
In tabling the Bill, Sanusi said the amendment also included the establishment of a new Syariah court, known as the Syariah Premier Court, and a review of the hierarchy of Syariah courts in the state.
Sanusi said the Syariah Premier Court will be the highest religious court in the state after the Syariah Appeals Court, Syariah High Court and Syariah Court.
Kedah is the third state to include the Syariah court in its constitution after Terengganu, which also has a fourth layer as part of its Syariah court system.
Meanwhile, the state assembly also unanimously passed the Syariah Court Enactment Bill.
The bill touches on the Syariah courts' respective jurisdictions and the appointment of judges and court members.
Also passed were two separate bills to amend the Islamic Law Administration Enactment and Islamic Family Law Enactment.
In March, the Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah called for the Syariah court to be placed under the state Constitution, similar to how the civil court is mentioned in the Federal Constitution.
Sultan Sallehhuddin had also called on the state government to review the Syariah Court structure and improve the status of Syariah Court judges so that they are on par with their civil court counterparts, in line with Islam's status in the state.