KUALA LUMPUR: In the latest episode of Beyond the Headlines, the focus is on addressing Malaysia's syariah law and constitutional law overlap, which has drawn much attention following the Federal Court's decision to rule out 16 provisions under the Kelantan syariah criminal enactment.
Guest speakers, constitutional law expert Emeritus Professor Datuk Shad Saleem Faruqi and lawyer Surendra Ananth, joined the discussion to share their insights on the legal challenges and debates.
We touched on the legality and jurisdiction of laws, particularly those related to religious laws in a federalist system, that are passed by lawmakers.
The panel examined the concept of ultra vires, which refers to actions beyond the legal authority, particularly in the context of enacting local state laws that conflict with federal laws.
Both experts advocated for the harmonisation of syariah laws to prevent future legal conflicts, as some suggested that state syariah law may conflict with federal laws on Islamic jurisprudence.
The session also saw discussions on the potential impact of the landmark ruling, emphasising the importance of ensuring that all laws, regardless of their origin, comply with fundamental human rights and constitutional provisions.
Follow the discussion in the latest episode of Beyond the Headlines below.
*This episode was recorded on Feb 15.
