BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Minister of Religious Affairs and his 18-member delegation yesterday witnessed a trial on road traffic offences in Saudi Arabia. The courtroom visit was part of the delegation’s programme to study how the country implemented its Syariah criminal law.

In a statement from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Yang Berhormat Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Pengiran Hj Abd Rahman and his delegation also met with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who is also the deputy prime minister and defence minister.

The meeting was held at the Ministry of Defence in An-Naasiriyyah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the minister and his delegation visited two chief justices of Saudi Arabia, the ministry said in the statement released yesterday.

At the General Court Building in Manfuhah, Riyadh, the minister met with Chief Judge Sheikh Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Hisni, and toured the facilities at the court.

The delegation proceeded to meet Chief of Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court, Sheikh Ghayhab Muhammad Al-Ghayhab.

The statement said the visits to the courts were aimed at getting more information and learn from Saudi Arabian court officials’ experiences in enforcing their Islamic criminal law.

“With this insightful information, the delegation may understand how the implementation of the Syariah Law Penal Code runs in Saudi Arabia,” the ministry said its statement.

Accompanying the minister during the five-day working visit included Islamic Religious Council member Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Abd Aziz Begawan Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Seri Paduka Hj Umar, Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Hj Kifrawi Dato Paduka Hj Kifli, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Paduka Hj Abdul Wahab Juned, and Deputy State Mufti Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Hj Suhaili Hj Mohiddin. – Abdul Azim Kassim

The Brunei Times