SIS hails court ruling as milestone in keeping religious authorities accountable
The Federal Court today quashed a 2014 fatwa labelling Sisters in Islam 'deviant', in a ruling hailed as a win for constitutional rights and accountability.
PETALING JAYA : Women's rights group Sisters in Islam (SIS) has hailed today's Federal Court ruling as a milestone in ensuring that religious authorities remain accountable to constitutional principles and the rule of law.
The NGO said the landmark judgment, which quashed a 2014 fatwa issued by Selangor religious authorities, reaffirmed the supremacy of the Federal Constitution, the right to judicial review, and the principle that no institution, including those issuing fatwas, is above the law.
'This is not just a victory for SIS, but a win for all Malaysians who believe in due process, democratic oversight, and the inclusive spirit of Islam,' it said in a statement.
SIS also maintained that when religious policies infringe on rights or discriminate, especially against women, citizens have the right to seek judicial review.
'This case is not about Islam, but about public law and public policy that must pass the test of public scrutiny,' it said.
The NGO reiterated that its struggle 'was never an attack on Islam', but was a 'principled legal challenge to a process that lacked transparency, natural justice and faireness'.
SIS had sought to quash the fatwa by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council that the NGO had deviated from the teachings of Islam by purportedly subscribing to 'liberalism' and 'religious pluralism'.
It failed in its previous challenge of the fatwa in the lower courts between 2019 and 2023.
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