States can act against Shia preachers[Malaysian minister]

  States can act against Shia preachers [Malaysian minister]
All state governments can act against preachers of Shia teachings without waiting for a new law to be drawn up in tackling the problem.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the existing Sharia law of the respective states was adequate to charge those guilty of the offence in the Sharia Court.

"The law is already there in every state, it's just that immediate action is not taken," he told reporters after visiting the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency's District 10 office in Tok Bali, here, today.

Shahidan was asked whether there was a need for a new law to be formulated to check the worrying spread of Shia teachings in this country.

He said all Islamic religious matters came under the jurisdiction of the respective state governments which could take appropriate action.

"This includes charging those without a permit from the state Islamic Religious Department to teach religion," he said, adding that what needed to be emphasised now was enforcement of the relevant Sharia law.