By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin
Pix Abd Ra’ai Osman

BANGI, 27 April 2016 – The National University of (UKM) is expected to make a study of the Malacca state Sharia court’s intention to appoint more women  Sharia judges, said the Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Studies Prof Dr Wan Ahmad Kamal Mujani.

Prof. Wan Kamal suggested cooperation with RM 30,000 in matching grants for research, including the study of feedback from Muslims regarding the appointment of women Sharia court judges.

“The Malacca Sharia Court asked us for an overview of the public reaction to  female judges. We will make a study by inviting the public to answer questions provided by UKM, ” he explained after signing a letter of intent for the  cooperation with the Malacca Sharia Court here, today.

He said, Malacca which now has two women Sharia judges, has plans to increase the number of judicial officers to dispose of the increasing number of cases involving women, families and family property.

Accordingly, the Chief Judge of the Sharia Court of Malacca Datuk Hj Mohd Radzi Abd Latif said the research also involves efforts to review the hierarchical structure of the Sharia court from the existing three levels, into four stages, namely the lower court, the high court, court of appeal and the higher appellate court.

Given that this move needs more judges, Malacca intends to increase the appointment of capable women.

Earlier, in his working paper, Datuk Mohd Radzi stressed that the appointment of women judges is not something that is contrary to Sharia Law.

He also hopes the implementation of the restructuring would provide more opportunities for women judges to go for further studies at UKM.

Currently, only Malacca, the Federal Territories, Kelantan, Perlis, and Sabah allow Muslim women to become Sharia judges.