(Far left) Jemoreng assemblyman and former Perlis mufti Datuk Juanda Jaya. — Picture by Sulok Tawie

KUCHING, March 3 — The Sarawak Islamic Council (MIS) commended the state government’s announcement today to amend state Shariah laws on apostasy.

Its deputy president Datuk Juanda Jaya hailed Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg as “brave” for correcting the “hanging situation” that has cast a pall on the religious community in the state all this time.

“The step taken by the chief minister should be supported because he is brave to solve the most sensitive issue in the country,” Juanda who is also a state lawmaker for Jemoreng said in a statement.

Earlier today, Abang Johari pledged the state government will amend the Sarawak Syariah Court Ordinance 2001 within the next six months, adding that it was a solution for Muslim converts to leave Islam.

Juanda added that the move is a way out to solve the issue which has been plaguing all quarters in the country and Sarawak, in particular.

He was alluding to the Federal Court ruling last week that the state Shariah courts have jurisdiction over the bid by four Sarawakians — a Malay-Muslim and three Muslim converts — to be officially recognised as Christians.

Juanda who was formerly the mufti of Perlis said a good solution through administrative action can be done because the main issue of the applications of the three Muslim converts was to delete their status as Muslims on their identity cards.

He also said that without official papers from the Sarawak Islamic Council, the Shariah courts and the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department, the National Registration Department will not be able to issue the three applicants — Tiong Choo Ting, Selina Jau and Jenny Peter — with the new identity cards.

Juanda urged Malaysians not to be overcome by their emotions regarding the matter and to prioritise racial and religious harmony.