What are the specific limitations on Shariah courts under current federal law?

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Current Federal Law Restricts Shariah Court Jurisdiction

Under existing federal legislation, the Shariah courts are subject to specific limitations regarding the punishments they can impose. These limitations are primarily defined by the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.
Penalties Capped by Federal Act

The Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 explicitly curtails the sentencing powers of Shariah courts. This federal law dictates that these courts are restricted to imposing a maximum of three years' imprisonment. Furthermore, the Act limits the number of strokes of whipping to six and caps any fines at RM5,000.
State Enactments Cannot Override Federal Law

The Malaysian Bar has indicated that state enactments attempting to implement laws exceeding these federal restrictions are inconsistent with the established constitutional framework. The passing of the Shariah Criminal Code (II) (1993) 2015 Enactment by the Kelantan State Assembly is cited as an example of such a conflict, as it seeks to introduce punishments beyond those permitted by federal law.
Judicial Precedent Affirms Secular Nature of Malaysian Law

The landmark 1988 Che Omar Che Soh case established that Malaysian laws are not required to conform to Islamic principles and confirmed the nation's secular status. This ruling underscored that the Federal Constitution restricts Islamic legislation primarily to areas such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, thereby placing limits on the scope of state-level Islamic penal laws within the broader legal system.

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What are the specific limitations on Shariah courts under current federal law?

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