RUU355 expected to be tabled in Parliament this year: Na’im

Amendments to law will be presented in Dewan after engagement sessions conclude with all stakeholders in each state

Religious affairs minister Datuk Mohd Na'im Mokhtar has said that the final report from the engagement session to amend the RUU355 Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament this year. – Alif Omar/Scoop pic, February 18, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR – The final report from the engagement session to amend the RUU355 Bill will be brought to the cabinet and is expected to be tabled in Parliament this year, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar. 

He said that the amendments to the law would be presented in Parliament in due time after engagement sessions over the bill conclude with all stakeholders in every state and necessary actions are taken.

“In fact, the proposal of the amendment to Act 355 (RUU355) will be brought to the cabinet and will be discussed together with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 

“The Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has invited all Islamic religious councils, shariah courts, and state Islamic religious departments to the engagement session, urging them to share their perspectives during the engagement session. 

“We will present the proposed amendment to the cabinet for a policy decision before taking it to Parliament later this year,” he told the media after the launch of the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council carnival here today. 

Anwar had launched the event earlier. 

Na’im said he was informed the engagement process is in its final stages and the report on the engagement is not yet ready. 

“God willing, we will discuss it with the prime minister afterwards,” he said. 

RUU355 was a private member’s bill brought by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in 2016 to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 to give the law greater enforcement power. 

He had proposed that the maximum punishment for shariah criminal offences – currently set at three years’ imprisonment, RM5,000 fine, and six strokes of the whip – be increased significantly to 30 years in prison, RM100,000 fine, and 100 lashes of the whip. 

The Dewan Rakyat has never debated the bill, even though it was tabled. 

Yesterday, Pengkalan Chepa MP Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary said that PAS is now pinning its hopes on Umno to bring about the enactment of RUU355, as the party is no longer in government administration. 

It also urged Umno to put forth the initiative previously prepared by the party. – February 18, 2024