MELAKA, Feb 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said that the Unity Government has nothing to do with the Federal Court’s decision in annulling 16 provisions in the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code today.

He said the decision was made by the Federal Court by the power vested in them under the Federal Constitution.

"The decision also has nothing to do with Syariah (Court)...or the powers of the state. Let’s say (during) the State Legislative Assembly sitting next month, the chief minister enacts several new laws conflicting with state powers and the powers of the Federal Constitution, then it can be referred to the Federal Court and if the court finds it conflicting, it will annul it (the laws enacted during the State Assembly sitting).”

Anwar said at the Melaka civil servants assembly at the Melaka International Trade Centre here, which was also attended by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

The Federal Court in an 8-1 majority decision today ruled that 16 provisions in the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code Enactment 2019 as null and void.

The landmark decision was delivered by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat who led a panel of nine judges after allowing an application by Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid, who hails from Kelantan, and her daughter, Tengku Yasmin Nastasha Abdul Rahman, to challenge the constitutionality and legality of 18 provisions in the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code (1) Enactment 2019.

Elaborating, Anwar said that the opposition played on religious sentiments in a bid to portray his Unity Government as opposing Islam, even though the application by the two women was filed during Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) administration.

"It’s a law of the state of Kelantan, and the ones challenging are Kelantanese. They challenged it in the Federal Court...not the (Federal) Cabinet, not the Prime Minister...they challenged the constitutionality and legality of the law, and the court ruled it (16 provisions in the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code Enactment) as null and void.

"The Perikatan Nasional government did not protest before (when the legal challenge was presented). It all happened during their administration...in 2020 and 2021. Now they are protesting and turning it into a political issue,” he said.

Therefore, the Prime Minister said the current government has established the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI), chaired by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, to examine matters related to Shariah laws used in each state.

"Previously, there was no action at the national committee level to examine the jurisdiction of Shariah courts and the powers regarding Shariah law. Now, there is one (MKI). What is MKI’s role? To determine the roles of Shariah courts in the country,” he said.

On another development, Anwar said the Unity Government also had nothing to do with the reduction of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s sentence as announced last week.

"They alleged that it was all PM and Cabinet’s doing. The Cabinet never discussed it, I just announced it after the decision was made (by the Pardons Board),” he said. — Bernama