We are of the view that it is necessary in this day and age for the authority to regulate the teachings or preachings of the religion in order to control, if not eliminate deviant teachings. The integrity of the religion needs to be safeguarded at all costs. That is what Section 53 of the enactment purports to do.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Malaysian Federal Court Upholds Licensing of Muslim Teachers
A 5-judge panel of Malaysia's Federal Court has upheld the constitutionality of Sec. 53(1) of the state of Negeri Sembilan's Syariah Criminal Enactment 1992 which outlaws Muslims teaching Islam without accreditation by the state's Islamic Religious Council. Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that a challenge to the law was brought by a Muslim counselor with the Patient Counseling Division of the National Heart Institute who (along with another defendant) faces a fine and up to two years in jail for delivering a religious talk at a celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday in 2010. Plaintiffs claimed that the law exceeds the powers of the state's legislature. In upholding the state law, the Federal Court said:
