Malaysia's top court invalidates Sharia state laws, provoking Islamist backlash
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Malaysia's top court Friday struck down over a dozen Shariah-based state laws, saying they encroached on federal authority, a decision denounced by Islamists who fear it could undermine religious courts across the country. In an 8-1 ruling, the nine-member Federal Court panel invalidated 16 laws made by the opposition-run Kelantan state government, which imposed punishments for offenses from sodomy, sexual harassment, incest, and cross dressing to giving false evidence. The court said that the state could not make Islamic laws on those topics because they are covered by Malaysian federal law. This a black Friday for Islamic Shariah laws,” PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan told reporters outside the court building after the ruling.
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