KOTA BARU, Nov 13 — The Kelantan syariah courts are capable of managing the implementation of hudud law if the PAS-led state government is able to enforce the law in the state.

Kelantan Syariah Chief Judge, Datuk Daud Muhammad, said this was because the facilities needed to implement the Islamic (hudud) law were complete, including the availability of judges.

“InsyaAllah (God willing), Kelantan is able to implement hudud. The law is already there and if there’s a need for more judges, we will add.”

He said this after the official opening of the RM25.8 million Kelantan State Syariah Court Complex by the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V, in Bandar Baharu Tunjung, here, today.

Also present were the Tengku Mahkota Kelantan Dr Tengku Muhammad Fa-iz Petra, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob.

In 1993, the State Legislative Assembly passed the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment II to enable the Kelantan government to implement hudud in the state.

However, it has not been implemented until now due to strong objection from DAP, its partner in the opposition pact, among the reasons.

Meanwhile, Daud said there were no backlog of cases in the state’s syariah courts, and this was regarded as a success.

“We have been able to dispose of the cases within a period of one year. This is because we have all the facilities, including enough judges to preside over the cases,” he said. — Bernama