KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — The Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (Centhra) has reiterated that Shariah laws, particularly amendments to the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) 1965 Act (RUU 355), will only affect Muslims and have nothing to do with non-Muslims.

Its chief executive and lawyer, Azril Mohd Amin said the matter was clearly stated in item 1 of List II of the Ninth Schedule which provides that Shariah courts, which are the subject of RUU355, have jurisdiction only over Muslims and not non-Muslims.

Thus, he said PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s view that non-Muslims have the right to partake in debates on laws, including those that affect them indirectly like the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Amendment Bill, is wrong.

"We in Centhra have always maintained that Shariah laws, in particular RUU 355 will only affect Muslims and have nothing to do with non-Muslims,” he said.

Azril also disagreed with Anwar on his view that RUU335 was merely PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s interpretation.

"This is not so as the jurisdiction of courts have always been routinely increased as a matter of routine, since the jurisdiction of the courts was last increased in 1984 and the civil courts also had their own jurisdictions enhanced in 2010,” he said.

Earlier today, Anwar reportedly said that non-Muslims in Malaysia have every right to take part in any debate on laws including RUU355 as it would inevitably affect them. — Bernama