Former Law Minister of Malaysia, Zaid Ibrahim, has voiced his concerns regarding the reactions of Malaysian politicians to the recent verdict of the Federal Court on Shariah law. In a series of tweets, he addressed the hysteria surrounding the court's decision and criticized the calls for constitutional amendments to empower Shariah laws.
Zaid Ibrahim highlighted the emotional reactions from various political factions, including PAS, Bersatu, and Umno, stating that while it's expected from the opposition, the latter's desire for constitutional amendments is madness. He questioned the rationale behind such demands, especially from Umno's Deputy President, regarding the examination of a Constitutional amendment by JAKIM.
Drawing attention to the country's legal framework, Zaid Ibrahim emphasized that Malaysia has been a civil law country since 1957, and Shariah law serves as a personal law rather than the primary source of legislation. He criticized the lack of awareness among Umno leaders regarding this fundamental aspect, suggesting that they may have been "sleepwalking" before Nik Elin's case.
Furthermore, Zaid Ibrahim expressed dismay over the failure of Malay politicians to consider the long-term implications of their reactions to the court's decision. He argued that their inability to acknowledge the choice between a democracy governed by civil laws and a theocracy akin to Afghanistan or Iran demonstrates a disregard for the country's future.
Addressing the Muslim community directly, Zaid Ibrahim cautioned against tampering with the Constitution, warning that dividing the country into two legal systems would disadvantage future generations. He urged Muslims to question their leaders' calls for more religious laws, pointing out the inefficiencies in the current implementation of Shariah laws, such as delays in divorce proceedings and lack of uniformity between states.
Zaid Ibrahim criticized the misplaced priorities of Muslim leaders, who he believes prioritize religious laws over addressing pressing issues like education and economic empowerment. He argued that such actions could lead to the erosion of economic rights, freedom, and cultural diversity in Malaysia.
Kamran is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.