SUARAM, a FORUM-ASIA member in Malaysia, said a proposal that non-Muslims found committing khalwat (close proximity between unwed couples) should be sentenced under civil law was unjustifiable and an infringement of freedom of religion and the rights of non-Muslims.

SUARAM, a FORUM-ASIA member in Malaysia, is alarmed by a proposal made by the Islamic Institute of Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) and the Syariah Judiciary Department Malaysia that non-Muslims found committing khalwat (close proximity between unwed couples) should be sentenced under civil law. Khalwat is currently an offence under the various state Islamic laws, but not the civil law.
 
This in effect forcefully imposes Syariah law on non-Muslims in Malaysia. For a non-Muslim to be charged with a criminal offence for his/her personal conduct based on the principles of a religion that he/she does not subscribe to is unjustifiable. This is a clear infringement of freedom of religion and the rights of non-Muslims, which is enshrined in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution. Further, it is also feared that such a law will lead to other serious human rights violations.

Please go to the SUARAM website to view the full report.