An edict to this effect by the state Fatwa Council has been consented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, said state Fatwa Committee chairman Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor.
“Since we have the consent, the fatwa will be presented to the state legal adviser to be turned into state law. InshaAllah, the fatwa will take effect soon,” he said when contacted.
In the states that do not have a sultan, such as Penang, the head of Islam is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Wan Salim said three other fatwas were awaiting consent by the king. These were related to state land management, state wakaf land management and a ban on shisha (Arabian tobacco hookah).
He said the three were being reviewed by the king and a final verdict on the matter may take several months.
He was responding to repeated claims by PAS that several fatwas had been put on hold as they had to go through the state executive council for approval.
Wan Salim had previously denied such claims and said fatwas went through the state executive council as the state legal adviser had to peruse them before they were gazetted as state Islamic law.
Penang PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden told Utusan Malaysia yesterday it was mulling taking legal action against the state government over the delay and alleged meddling in the state Fatwa Committee.
On PAS’ call to take the Penang government to court on the “four pending fatwas” and alleged meddling, Wan Salim said that was entirely up to them.