SHAH ALAM, Aug 5 — The Selangor State Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed the Syariah Court (State of Selangor) Enactment Bill 2026, which, among other provisions, provides for the establishment of a Supreme Syariah Court.
The Bill, comprising 66 clauses, was approved after being debated by nine state assemblymen during today's sitting.
State executive councillor for Islamic affairs and innovation culture Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said the establishment of the court will complete the existing appeals system by providing a more comprehensive avenue for reviewing cases involving Islamic law or matters of public interest.
Although the Bill introduces an additional level of appeal, it will not delay case resolution, as only appeals that meet the prescribed requirements and have sufficient merit will be allowed to proceed.
"Although there is an additional level of appeal, it does not necessarily mean that cases will take longer to resolve because only cases that meet the required criteria and have sufficient merit to be appealed will go through the process.
"Instead, this structure ensures that every party has a fairer opportunity to seek a review of the court's decision," he said when winding up the debate on the bill at the sitting.
Fahmi added that implementing the provisions for establishing the Supreme Syariah Court would have annual financial implications of approximately RM240,000 to cover allowances for five state-appointed panel judges.
The state government is also strengthening the Syariah judicial institution through digital transformation to improve the speed and efficiency of public service delivery.
"The Selangor Syariah Judiciary Department (JAKESS) has adopted a digital case file system, online case management, and electronic delivery of notices to reduce bureaucratic delays.
"In addition, online payment facilities, the e-Filing system, the Digital Court, and proceedings conducted via remote communication technology have also been introduced to enhance the efficiency of delivering justice," he said.
The councillor noted that the separation of functions between the religious administration and the Syariah judicial institution under the Bill will also strengthen judicial independence and, in turn, enhance public confidence in court decisions.
Meanwhile, Fahmi revealed that the Selangor Syariah Court had recorded strong performance, with 4,519 out of 9,066 divorce cases successfully resolved through the fast-track system, while 99.9 per cent of marriage dissolution cases filed in 2024 and earlier had been concluded.
JAKESS, together with the Selangor Islamic Religious Council, will expand Syariah legal literacy programmes through webinars and podcasts to improve public understanding of the amendments introduced under the enactment.
