Jamil Khir: States to take charge of ‘syariah cops’, roll out soon

(MM) – Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom confirmed today the set up of a special police unit dubbed “syariah police”, which will be managed by the religious departments of the respective states.

The minister in charge of Islamic affairs added that he is still in fine-tuning the details with his Cabinet colleague, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, but the religious policing unit will be on the road soon.

“I am discussing with Zahid for a committee for this syariah thing,” Jamil Khir told reporters, referring to the home minister.

“We very much welcome it so there will be a group which can focus on actions in syariah, and we try to form it as soon as possible to help out religious departments in carrying out their tasks.”

Pointing to Article 9 of the Federal Constitution, Jamil Khir said the religious affairs are under the jurisdiction of each state, and that the federal government was only facilitate the programme.

“We are only helping to administer it at the federal level… We cannot interfere with the rights and jurisdiction of the states,” he said.

Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid said the Home Ministry is weighing proposals to form a special police unit to contain the spread of the banned Shiah school of Islam here.

Among the proposals will be to embed police officers within the Malaysian Islamic Advancement Affairs Department (Jakim) as part of an “enforcement team”, which could allow such squads vastly broadened powers to arrests those deemed in breach of Islamic laws.