KOTA KINABALU, Nov 30 — The Sabah Legislative Assembly today passed two Bills to boost the Shariah courts’ jurisdiction over Muslim inheritance matters and the state fatwa council.

Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Council chairman Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said that the amendments were in relation to the position of the mufti and deputy mufti, and to increase the number of people in the state fatwa council among others.

"It is aimed at improving provision to vacate the position of mufti and deputy mufti and also several inclusions that affect the power of the mufti to issue fatwas,” he said.

According to the Bill, the positions of the mufti and deputy mufti can be declared vacant if either of them do not attend the state fatwa council meetings for three consecutive times without approval from the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

Other conditions for the position to be declared vacant is if the office-bearer is not in Malaysia for more than three months without approval; if his conduct tarnishes the position; or if he acts against the interest of the state.

Another amendment seeks to allow the deputy mufti to conduct meetings in the absence of the mufti while another seeks to ratify the procedure in making a fatwa.

The amendment also replaces the words "National Fatwa Committee” with "Muzakarah committee”.

In the Shariah amendment Bill, the Sabah government sought to empower the Islamic courts to hear and decide on matters relating to the succession of estate for Muslims.

The Bill also seeks to increase the jurisdiction of the Shariah Subordinate Court to hear matters concerning amounts that had been capped at RM100,000 to a new ceiling of RM300,000.