Sharia Courts of Malaysia

Malaysia operates two separate court systems side by side, and the Syariah, or Sharia, courts are one of them, holding jurisdiction only over Muslims and only in matters of family law and religious observance. Their sentencing power is limited by law to no more than three years' imprisonment, a fine of up to 5,000 ringgit, or up to six strokes of the cane. Unlike the federal civil courts, Syariah courts are established and administered by individual state governments, so their structure and procedure can differ from state to state, and since 1988 Article 121(1A) of the Malaysian federal constitution has barred the secular civil courts from hearing any matter that falls within Syariah court jurisdiction, formalizing the separation between the two systems.