Policing, Ḥisbah & the Present Challenges of Religious Law Enforcement in Malaysia

Siti Zubaidah Ismail

doi:10.15408/ajis.v25i2.42441

Authors

Siti Zubaidah Ismail Universiti Malaya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15408/ajis.v25i2.42441

Keywords:

law enforcement, religious enforcement, sharia criminal law, shariah, hisbah

Abstract

This article explores the concept of ḥisbah, which is commanding the good and forbidding the evil, and the practice of religious policing in Malaysia. It discusses the role of Religious Enforcement Officers within the framework of sharia criminal law. By using the qualitative doctrinal research approach, the study analyses statutory provisions and scholarly literature to identify operational issues in religious enforcement. Findings reveal that religious enforcement officers (REOs) operate within clear legal frameworks, leading to the consistent application of the law, and are regulated by the Shariah Criminal Procedure Law. There are several key challenges in performing these duties, including ambiguous statutory provisions, evidentiary difficulties, loopholes in addressing new and complex offences, and tensions between enforcement duties and privacy concerns. The article concludes that to maintain legitimacy and public trust, reforms are necessary to clarify legal ambiguities and ensure that enforcement remains within lawful and ethical boundaries, thereby balancing religious duties and civil liberties.

Abstrak

Artikel ini mengkaji konsep ḥisbah, yaitu memerintahkan yang ma’ruf dan mencegah yang munkar, serta praktik polisi agama di Malaysia. Artikel ini membahas peran petugas penegakkan agama dalam kerangka hukum pidana syariah. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan penelitian doktrinal kualitatif, studi ini menganalisis ketentuan perundang-undangan dan literatur akademik untuk mengidentifikasi isu operasional dalam penegakkan agama. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa petugas penegakkan agama beroperasi dalam kerangka hukum yang jelas, sehingga penerapan hukum berlangsung secara konsisten, dan diatur oleh Undang-Undang Prosedur Pidana Syariah. Ada beberapa tantangan utama dalam melaksanakan tugas ini, termasuk ketentuan undang-undang yang ambigu, kesulitan pembuktian, celah hukum dalam menangani pelanggaran baru dan kompleks, serta ketegangan antara tugas penegakkan dan masalah privasi. Artikel ini menyimpulkan bahwa untuk menjaga legitimasi dan kepercayaan publik, diperlukan reformasi untuk memperjelas ambiguitas hukum dan memastikan bahwa penegakan tetap berada dalam batas hukum dan etika, sehingga menyeimbangkan antara kewajiban agama dan kebebasan sipil.

Author Biography

Siti Zubaidah Ismail, Universiti Malaya

Associate Professor, Shariah and Law Depertment, Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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