Hadi calls for abolition of ‘colonial laws’ to make Syariah rule supreme in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang called for the elimination of colonial-era legal statutes, arguing they hinder the full adoption of Islamic law in Malaysia. In his statement titled "Independence: Abolish Colonial Laws That Obstruct the Implementation of Islam," Hadi contended that true independence cannot coexist with outdated laws inherited from British rule that restrict Islam's supremacy over man-made legislation.

Several specific laws were criticized, including the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, which imposes a strict "3:5:6" sentencing formula for criminal offenses under Syariah law. Hadi also targeted the Civil Law Act 1956, the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, and the division of jurisdiction between state and federal criminal laws.

He invoked the late Islamic scholar Ahmad Ibrahim's perspective, which he claimed was shared by former judges, arguing that Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution should be interpreted broadly to encompass all aspects of life. Hadi traced the constitutional debate to the 1956 Reid Commission's draft, which initially balanced secularism with Islam's status as the national religion but was later altered to avoid criticism.

The statement also focused on the opposition from the DAP, accusing the party of hindering the Islamization of the legal system.