KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 -- The Kelantan legislative assembly's plans to re-enact the same 16 shariah criminal offences in the state's laws will amount to "contempt" of the Federal Court, since Malaysia's highest court had already ruled that the state has no power to make such laws, a lawyer said.

When contacted by Malay Mail, several lawyers said Kelantan's planned new provisions would still be unconstitutional even if the state government modifies the language used, as the Federal Court decided that only the federal government has the power under the Federal Constitution to make laws on criminal offences.

Constitutional lawyer Surendra Ananth when contacted said Kelantan "can't reenact the same laws" found to be unconstitutional.

"The F...