Maria Chin’s sentence should be reversed, says ex-law minister
Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said if the people were unable to critique the shariah court system, it would never improve.
PETALING JAYA: Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah’s jail sentence was regrettable and should be reversed as her criticism was not directed at Islam but at the shariah legal system and process.
“These laws are man-made, not divine, and the courts should not feel as though people who criticise the system are insulting the religion,” Zaid told FMT.
He added that if people were unable to critique the court system, it would never improve.
“This is bad for Islam itself and the higher authorities should reverse the sentencing.”
Zaid also said the shariah high court’s decision set a bad precedent as now no one would speak up on weaknesses in the system.
This morning, the shariah high court sentenced Maria to seven days jail for contempt of court over her September 2019 statement: “Muslim women are still being discriminated (against) under Malaysia’s shariah legal system.”
She had said the shariah court’s decision to sentence businessman SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin’s former wife, Emilia Hanafi, to seven days in prison for rescheduling his visitation dates for her children was a “grave injustice” and a “total disgrace to the judicial system”.
Judge Fouzi Mokhtar allowed a stay of execution and ordered Maria’s legal team to file their appeal within 14 days.
Her lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, told the court she would be appealing the decision.
Founder of Komuniti Muslim Universal (KMU) Aizat Shamsuddin said the ruling was unjust as Maria was merely responding to the injustices women faced as a result of laws and religious interpretations that discriminated against them.
“This is to censor human rights advocates and political dissent through the shariah legal system.
“The shariah legal system should instead respond by improving the laws and staff capacity to promote gender equality and accountability, like in other Muslim-majority countries that are progressing,” Aizat told FMT.
Former deputy law minister Hanipa Maidin said while he respected the court’s decision, it was damaging to their reputation.
“This will not uplift the shariah court’s image. It will only further diminish its reputation.
“I am of the view that the court ought to tolerate freedom of speech,” Hanipa told FMT.
Marina Mahathir, a socio-political activist and daughter of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, questioned how the Islamic judicial system could be “insulted”.
“Does the system have feelings?” she said in a brief Twitter post. “This is disgusting.”
PETALING JAYA: Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah’s jail sentence was regrettable and should be reversed as her criticism was not directed at Islam but at the shariah legal system and process.
“These laws are man-made, not divine, and the courts should not feel as though people who criticise the system are insulting the religion,” Zaid told FMT.
He added that if people were unable to critique the court system, it would never improve.
“This is bad for Islam itself and the higher authorities should reverse the sentencing.”
Zaid also said the shariah high court’s decision set a bad precedent as now no one would speak up on weaknesses in the system.
This morning, the shariah high court sentenced Maria to seven days jail for contempt of court over her September 2019 statement: “Muslim women are still being discriminated (against) under Malaysia’s shariah legal system.”
She had said the shariah court’s decision to sentence businessman SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin’s former wife, Emilia Hanafi, to seven days in prison for rescheduling his visitation dates for her children was a “grave injustice” and a “total disgrace to the judicial system”.
Judge Fouzi Mokhtar allowed a stay of execution and ordered Maria’s legal team to file their appeal within 14 days.
Her lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, told the court she would be appealing the decision.
Founder of Komuniti Muslim Universal (KMU) Aizat Shamsuddin said the ruling was unjust as Maria was merely responding to the injustices women faced as a result of laws and religious interpretations that discriminated against them.
“This is to censor human rights advocates and political dissent through the shariah legal system.
“The shariah legal system should instead respond by improving the laws and staff capacity to promote gender equality and accountability, like in other Muslim-majority countries that are progressing,” Aizat told FMT.
Former deputy law minister Hanipa Maidin said while he respected the court’s decision, it was damaging to their reputation.
“This will not uplift the shariah court’s image. It will only further diminish its reputation.
“I am of the view that the court ought to tolerate freedom of speech,” Hanipa told FMT.
Marina Mahathir, a socio-political activist and daughter of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, questioned how the Islamic judicial system could be “insulted”.
“Does the system have feelings?” she said in a brief Twitter post. “This is disgusting.”
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