An interfaith council said the proposed amendments to the Syariah Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also known as Act 355, will create a syariah criminal system which is parallel to the Federal Constitution, and thus, is unconstitutional.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST), in a statement, said that crimes such as theft, robbery, sodomy (for which the amendments intends to increase the punishments) are already covered by the Penal code, and thus, are unconstitutional.

The council was responding to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who had in an open letter on July 20, asked to give "the Islamic approach a chance."...