PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry is conducting a comprehensive monitoring of all matters that might lead to public unrest.
This includes the public reactions to the Federal Court's decision declaring 16 Syariah offences in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) 2019 null and void.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said there is a special team in Bukit Aman that will investigate any exaggerated reactions to this issue.
"The investigation will be completed within seven days before being handed over to the Attorney General's Office.
"The Federal Court's ruling specifically addressed the challenge, as said by the Chief Justice (Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat), which is not related to challenging Islam or undermining the role of the Syariah court," he said after the ministry's monthly assembly here today.
He said it revolves around the aspect of challenges to the authority of the state legislative assembly to enact laws.
"We believe the people will objectively assess the allegations that the decision challenges Islam, Syariah law, and so on.
"Continuous monitoring will be conducted (on factors contributing to public unrest), not specifically for this incident alone," he said.
In another development, Saifuddin said there will be a meeting today with stakeholders over the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) 1959 to discuss the implications and the way forward.
He said the meeting will include government leaders, such as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, as well as representatives from non-governmental organisations.
"We are aware that the court has made a decision that Section 4 of POCA is unconstitutional and the decision has gone through the appeal process ending in the Federal Court.
"The final decision by the Federal Court, affirming the High Court's ruling, means we cannot enforce that section.
"As an enforcement agency, especially since this act, if enforced, covers several types of crimes to curb criminal incidents," he said, adding that he hoped the outcome of the discussion would provide some input on the next steps to take.